


Pyre

by SeraphStarshine



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blood Drinking, Blow Jobs, Character Deaths, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Smut, Fire, Graphic Description, Grief/Mourning, Insanity, M/M, Madness, Multi, Prejudice, Prophetic Dreams, References to Supernatural (TV), Rimming, Suicide, Unrequited Love, Vampire Gerard Way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:46:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 41
Words: 164,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3423350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeraphStarshine/pseuds/SeraphStarshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gerard has been running away for as long as he can remember, away from the hunters, away from his past, and away from himself most of all. </p><p>Besides his brother and Ray, he has been alone for time untold.</p><p>But his constant dreams refuse to be left in the dust and it is reaching the point where Gerard is convinced he is going insane, all because of this dark haired man whose name he doesn't even know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Confusing But Necessary Prologue Thingy

Fire rained down from the heavens, stinging Gerard's skin with painful blisters, but he didn't care - he was here on a mission, and this time, he wouldn't fail...he _couldn't_ fail. If someone had asked him what that purpose was, he would have been unable to produce an answer, but that did nothing to quell the determination brewing inside of him to continue forward despite the sweltering heat and choking smoke obscuring his way.

Gerard couldn't leave, even if he wanted to; he had attempted it before, but there was no direction to move besides the pathway in front of him. Turning around always led him to blank walls that hadn't been there previously, and even with his strength, he couldn't break them down. They seemed to be made of steel, and his every endeavor at shattering them ended in him wasting his precious time as the impenetrable barriers mocked his pathetic attempts at escape - if walls were capable of mocking people that is.

**9:55**

The red numbers on the clock mounted on the wall galvanized him, only five more minutes until Gerard would be too late - too late for what, he didn't know, but it was desperately important...he was sure of that much.

_Keep moving...ignore the flames...don't stop._

Gerard's internal chant kept him company as he continued deeper into the building, because it _was_ a building, he could tell that now, even though he didn't have a clue what its original purpose had been. Empty cages lined the walls, many of the doors hung open haphazardly, as if whoever had occupied them had evacuated in a hurry, which is what Gerard should be doing, but he couldn't... _not yet_.

He briefly considered the fact that he might be in a prison - but _no_ , that didn't seem right, because the cells were small, sometimes two were placed one on top of the other, and even the cruelest jail in the world wouldn't keep people sequestered in these kind of conditions.

It didn't matter though...all that mattered was reaching the end of this hallway.

Gerard was starting to panic now, flames were twisting around him, scorching his skin with every caress of their fiery fingers. He could feel blisters forming underneath his clothing, which was scant protection against the overwhelming heat and smoke that was threatening to bring him to his knees from lack of oxygen, but he ignored it all, smothering his fear with the urgent need to continue moving, because if he stopped, he was dead, and then he would never find out what he was even doing here in the first place.

A door was in sight now, blackened by smoke and cracked open slightly, orange flames visible from within. Putting on a burst of speed, Gerard practically ripped the object off its hinges in his desperate bid to get inside. Whatever he was searching for resided within this room, he knew it without a doubt.

Gerard was aware that he didn't have long now, tears blurred his vision and his lungs were filling up with smoke. He could smell the unpleasant scent of burning flesh, and he tried his best to ignore the fact that it was most definitely his own.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Gerard called out in a panicked voice, because he had suddenly remembered that he had been searching for a person - just who that person was remained unclear though.

A quick scan of the room revealed nothing besides a large desk and an overabundance of smoke, causing everything else in the nearby vicinity to be lost in shadows.

"Gerard?" a hoarse voice croaked out, and even though Gerard didn't recognize it, it was somehow familiar at the same time.

He was aware of how little sense that statement held, but nothing about this entire situation made any iota of sense. He had no memory of how he had gotten here, or what he was doing, so it wasn't a surprise that he couldn't place a finger on who the voice belonged to either.

"Yeah - I'm here."

Because even though he had no clue who was in the room with him, something primal and buried deep inside of him did, and he felt the overwhelming urge to protect whoever it was with his life.

"My leg... _fuck_ \- I think it's broken."

Bending down, Gerard finally found the source of the mysterious voice in the form of a slight statured man curled up under a hunk of wood that had once passed as a desk as if it would protect him, clutching his injured appendage tightly to his body. The metallic smell of blood flooded Gerard's nostrils, erasing everything else: from the fire, to the smoke, and even to their imminent danger.

But _no_...Gerard couldn't feed now, and not from this man, because he was special for some reason that he couldn't quite place his finger on, so even though every cell in Gerard's damaged body was crying out at him to sink his fangs into this man's neck and heal himself with the life-giving blood, he pushed down his baser instincts with a monumental effort.

"Let me see."

Gerard knelt next to the suffering man whose name he still couldn't recall, gently moving aside the torn jeans clinging to his leg so he could observe the damage. Blood flowed freely from a deep gash caused by the protruding point of bone sticking out of the tattooed skin, the image causing even Gerard's stomach to churn slightly, and he had witnessed many gruesome scenes that far surpassed this one, but something about viewing this man's suffering twisted Gerard's intestines, the urge to vomit clogging his throat to the point that he had to turn away before he lost the battle he was fighting with his bodily functions.

"Gerard - we have to get out of here..." the nameless man gasped out, pain and fear lacing his voice as the flames grew hotter and the smoke pressed down all around them.

And even though Gerard knew he was right, and was aware that he should pick up this man and escape as quickly as possible - he couldn't move. It had been ages since he had last fed, and being in the presence of so much blood had paralyzed him to the point of inaction. It was taking every ounce of self-control he possessed not to drain this stranger - who wasn't _really_ a stranger - dry, and if he even so much as shifted right now, he would lose the fragile hold he had on his hunger. His sharp upper canines were pressing at his gums, attempting to break through the thin skin despite Gerard's best efforts at keeping them hidden.

" _Gerard_..." The man's voice was faint now, the smoke inhalation was beginning to affect him, causing him to lose his grip on consciousness.

A deep-rooted voice inside of Gerard was screaming at him to do something, to save this man who seemed to mean everything - and at the same time _nothing_ \- to him. The internal struggle was tearing him apart; something had to give, and it would either end in both of their salvation, or the death of this already dying stranger.

But Gerard couldn't kill him, because he knew if he did, he would be killing himself, even though Gerard had no reason to justify his conclusion. He didn't know this person, but his heart was screaming at him that he did - that he loved him even - which was preposterous. Gerard Way didn't fall in love, especially not with random humans.

And finally, something did snap, but it wasn't Gerard at all - _actually_ , it was the roof caving down around them, the structure giving up under the strain the fire damage had put on it. With a creaking groan, Gerard was buried alive, clutching the now unconscious man to his chest in a desperate bid to save him, even though he knew it was too late...he was already dead - or _close enough_ anyway, and once again, Gerard had _failed_.

And even worse than failing was the fact that it was all Gerard's fault that he was dying, as well as this stranger, because he couldn't control his unruly thirst for the thirty seconds it would have taken him to remove them both from the burning building. He was the biggest fuck-up in the history of fuck-ups, and now he was paying for it with his life.

Suffocating on the black choking smoke that had replaced all of the oxygen in the air, Gerard struggled to free himself; maybe it wasn't too late...maybe they could still escape somehow, but the beams pinning his body to the ground carried the weight of the world, and he was already weak and tired from being ravaged by the fire for so long.

All he could do was try not to scream as the flames spread across the wood, consuming both him and the stranger in the process. Horror choked Gerard as he felt his skin burning, his hair frying away with a sickening crackle.

There was no way out, and it was all his fault.

Gerard knew he was dying, and he was fucking _terrified_ , but also strangely relieved, which was a very conflicting state to be in - not even considering the crippling agony of being burned alive, because in a way, Gerard wanted to die; he yearned for his pathetic existence to finally come to a close so he wouldn't have to suffer through it any longer, but with death came the fear of the unknown, and worry over Mikey and if he would be okay without him. _Fuck_ \- Mikey wouldn't even know what had happened to his brother, he would probably spend days searching for him, refusing to give up on the hope that he was still out there somewhere. At least he would have Ray, so he wouldn't be completely alone.

Worst of all though were the unanswered questions about this man that Gerard seemed to care so much for, but how could he when he couldn't even put a name to his face. He would never discover who he was, or why he was worth dying for, and that was more torturous than being burned alive, because in the end, this had all been for nothing - whatever _this_ was.

This man didn't deserve to die though, and Gerard should have gotten here sooner - he should have been more in control of himself so this mysterious dark haired stranger could have continued to exist, because a world without him in it seemed like a world not worth living in, and maybe if he had been able to rescue him, he could have finally unearthed what these unexplained feelings meant, and if maybe this had been what he had been missing out on for all those lonely years.

But that was all wishful thinking, because this was the end for the both of them, whether Gerard was ready or not. Crying out in anguish, Gerard surrendered to death's cruel embrace, silently apologizing to the stranger for not being strong enough to save him.


	2. Visions Sounds Less Crazy Then Hallucinations - Right?

Gerard awoke with a start, shooting up in bed so quickly, he suffered a spout of dizziness from the sudden movement.

When he realized it was just that same _fucking_ _dream_ again, he settled back down, even though he knew sleep wouldn't be returning to him this night - well _morning_ actually, because many of the vampire stereotypes may not be true, but the sleeping through the day thing was an accurate one. Gerard definitely didn't bed down in a coffin though, and as far as he knew, he couldn't transform into a bat on a whim, much to his disappointment.

All humor aside, there was nothing funny about Gerard's current predicament. This dream was going to be the death of him, because it wasn't just a dream - _not anymore_. No one dreamed of an identical situation for three years running, at least, no one sane, and Gerard was definitely beginning to doubt his sanity right about now.

The pounding headache and accompanying chills and stomachaches began to assault him as soon as his head hit the pillow. This always happened after his visions, which is what he had started calling them, because they felt so real that dreams didn't seem a good enough term for this phenomena. _Hallucination_ would have worked as well, but that would just reinforce the crazy image Gerard was trying so hard to avoid.

They hadn't always been this bad, not at first. In the beginning, Gerard could honestly convince himself that they were just dreams, and the following headaches were just an irregular coincidence, and there was no direct correlation between the two. He had assumed they were memories of the purge: fear of the horror, and fire, and senseless death brought on by the stupidity of a few ignorant rogues, coupled with the vile nature of humans, which in turn had changed his life forever.

But as time progressed, it became more and more difficult for Gerard to maintain the illusion that this was a run of the mill nightmare. What had started out as random images of being burned alive slowly morphed into a full five minute scenario, well...five minutes in dream time that is.

It had taken ages for him to put it all together, when dreaming of fire and death turned into visions of him being lost in a burning building, unable to remember how he got there, or what had caused the inferno in the first place. They seemed like completely different dreams, and Gerard continued to delude himself that they meant nothing - _everyone_ had bad dreams right?

They used to come months apart - if not longer, but as the dream itself gained in length, so did the number of occurrences. Once every couple of months turned into once a month, which had now evolved into a weekly ritual that Gerard had grown to dread, and with each shortening of time between them, the painful after effects strengthened as well. What started out as small headaches escalated into full blown migraines, and then to a fever coupled with the inability to keep his stomach contents where they belonged.

The vision always began in the same place now as well, Gerard didn't see the dreams in fragments, or the end first anymore. It had morphed into a never-ending sequence that, try as he might, he couldn't sway the outcome in his favor.

But it wasn't until this year that the dark haired man had shown up, before then, Gerard had simply died alone for no reason, his screams unheard or ignored, and _honestly_ \- Gerard had preferred it that way.

With the addition of this stranger, they had become even more of a torment to his already fragile mind, because in the dream, he cared for him so much - almost as much as he did for Mikey, but he still had no idea why. It made no sense, because he didn't know anyone who fit his description - _hell_ , with his life spent constantly on the run, he didn't interact with anyone besides Mikey and Ray, so why was his subconscious plaguing him with this beautiful oddity?

Everywhere they went, Gerard kept an eye out for someone that matched his mysterious dream man, although he knew the chances of him being real were slim to none, and even if he was a living, breathing person, the odds of actually running into him were not in his favor. Gerard couldn't stop himself from hoping though, and whenever a flash of dark hair and tattoos caught his eye, he had to follow said person to see if it was him, but it never was.

Gerard wanted him to be real so badly, because then maybe the dreams meant something. It would be concrete proof that he wasn't going crazy, and there was some greater power at work here instead of just his brain fucking itself over. He needed that reassurance, because if he didn't get it, he would go insane, if he wasn't already that is.

Gerard just couldn't shake the gut feeling that this dream - vision - _whatever_ , meant something; whether it was a glimpse of the future, or a possibility of what was to come, Gerard had no clue, but he so desperately wanted to find out.

It was times like these that Gerard yearned for his mother; she had bad dreams too, and he couldn't help but wonder if his were connected to hers in any way. He remembered waking up at night to grab a glass of water, or to comfort Mikey as he cried, only to find his mother pacing around the kitchen with a worried look on her face, conversing with his father in hushed tones. Whenever he asked her what was wrong, the answer was always the same...

_"Just a bad dream honey, go back to sleep."_

And he did, because he was young, and he trusted his mother with the world, so if she told him to forget about it, then he would, and he had yet to be plagued by his own nightmares, so he didn't realize how much he would regret not pressing his mother for more answers when he had the chance.

Gerard coveted every memory he had of her and his father, because they were all that he had left of them, and fading remembrances were better than nothing. He did his best to recall the happy times instead of the sad, when he hadn't always been afraid, and poor, and hungry, when he had loving parents, and a home, and he didn't know the meaning of the word fear.

But now they were dead, and Gerard was alone and answerless about what was happening to him, and if his dreams meant anything at all, or if he was finally snapping under the strain of his existence, because he could be overreacting about this whole thing, and honestly, the dreams might be nothing more than terrible nightmares, and his following symptoms quite possibly were a mere a coincidence brought upon by the malnourished state he usually resided in, but if his mother indeed suffered from the same malady that he did, then maybe it was genetic, but then again, Mikey showed no signs of realistic visions, so it could just be Gerard straining to make connections where none existed.

If that was the case, that meant the mysterious man he dreamed of was nothing more than that - a figment of his imagination, and Gerard didn't know which possibility was worse: the one in which it was all real, and that was how he was going to die, or the one in which this stranger did not exist at all.

Gerard truly wished that he could turn off his brain and forget his strange obsession with this nameless man, but his head refused to listen to him; even during his waking hours, thoughts of who he could be, and why he was so important to Gerard followed him around constantly.

And as much as he wanted to just lay in his not so comfy bed and suffer silently as he tried to figure out what was wrong with the messed up lump of grey matter that resided inside his head, his stomach had other ideas, causing him to run to the bathroom as silently as possible, hoping not to wake Mikey in the process. Just in time, he reached the toilet, emptying his stomach of the scant amounts of food he had consumed earlier today.

Finally, his body seemed to be finished purging, and Gerard collapsed against the cold floor, weak and in pain. It had been too long since he had fed again, but they had only now reached a civilized area, and he hadn't wanted to leave Mikey alone in a new place just so he could find a quick meal.

They were squatting in a foreclosed house at the moment, trapped by the burning sun until nightfall when they could continue their journey again. On the whims of Mikey, they were headed to New Jersey - actually, they were already there, having crossed the border earlier on, but they hadn't yet reached the city that was their destination. They had made this agonizing trek all because Mikey swore he had heard some hunters talking about a hidden coven in Belleville, and this time, Mikey was determined that they would find others of their kind.

Gerard didn't have the heart to deny his brother anything, so he had set their footsteps in the direction of the elusive coven; he didn't doubt that it existed, just their abilities to find it. After the purge, all of the vampire covens that had remained relatively intact had hidden their locations away from the world, leaving orphans like Gerard and Mikey to fend for themselves. Besides a few rogues, it had been decades since Gerard had seen another vampire, much less a full functioning society.

"Hey...you okay?" Mikey's voice intruded on Gerard's half asleep state on the surprisingly soothing bathroom floor, forcing him to lift his head wearily. Apparently his attempt at keeping quiet had failed, but it wasn't like he had anything to hide from his sibling, he just hadn't wanted him to waste precious minutes that could be spent sleeping worrying about his pitiful older brother.

"Yeah - I think I'm okay now," Gerard answered wearily.

Okay being a relative term, as in - he was done puking his guts up, but he still felt like he had been run over by a bus - _oh_ , and he might be going crazy, but technically okay, by Gerard standards anyway.

"The dream again?" Mikey asked, even though he already knew, because nothing else reduced his brother to this state besides that.

"Mhmm..." Gerard didn't know what else to say, because he had already told Mikey pretty much everything by this point.

After trying to hide his debatable insanity for two years, Mikey had finally backed him up against the wall - _literally_ \- until he had spilled what had been going on inside his fucked up head. That was back when it was just the two of them against the rest of the world, before they had found Ray, when they were beginning to worry that they were the only vampires left that hadn't turned rogue besides the few pampered individuals that had managed to retain their covens that is.

"Come on, let's get you back in bed okay?" Instead of waiting for an answer, Mikey simply threaded his arm under his brother's shoulders before pulling him to his feet, leaning most of Gerard's weight against his slim frame.

"I'm sorry Mikes..." Gerard mumbled, because he hated having his brother see him this way - so helpless, and weak, and pathetic. He knew Mikey didn't mind, but it shouldn't be like this; he was the protector, and this role reversal was hard to accept.

"Don't apologize Gerard, it isn't your fault." 

Gerard heard the barely concealed worry in his brother's tone, and he hated being the cause of it, but he was right. He wasn't doing this on purpose, and he couldn't control it, so for now, he was forced to rely on his younger brother's strength.

~~~

Gerard was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, allowing Mikey to release a sigh of relief at the fact that he had managed to fall back into slumber. Some days he spent hours after the dream sobbing brokenly, or staring at the wall with a blank expression on his face, but that was back when the sickness hadn't been so bad, back when each dream didn't bring his brother to his knees with nausea.

Mikey was truly beginning to fear for his brother's life; he didn't know how much longer his mind and body could withstand this torment, and just the thought of Gerard dying filled Mikey's eyes with stinging tears. Gerard had been his everything for too many years to count, and even now that he had Ray, he couldn't bear the idea of losing his brother under any circumstances.

Mikey wanted so badly to help Gerard...but what could he do? If it was possible to erase the dreams from his mind, or transfer them into his own, he would, but that wasn't an option, and this whole situation was fucking with his head almost as much as it was Gerard's.

His brother needed _help_ \- medical or mental, he didn't know, but something was terribly wrong with him, and it was killing Mikey to see him in so much pain.

Returning to his own bed, he attempted to sneak back under the covers without waking Ray, but his absence had already been discovered by his curly haired mate.

"Everything okay love?" Ray asked, sleep still clogging his voice and making it deliciously rough.

"Gerard just had another dream, he's sleeping now though," Mikey answered while snuggling as close to Ray's chest as possible without smothering himself, trying to pretend that everything was okay, and that his brother wasn't potentially dying, or losing his mind. Ray began threading his fingers through his hair, knowing how much it calmed him down, causing Mikey to hum gratefully in response.

"It will be okay, we will find the coven, and he will get the help he needs."

Ray's words were reassuring, but Mikey was so scared that they were filled with nothing but false hope, because this drawn out search could very easily end in another erroneous trail, and his brother could run out of time before they made it to the coven, if they ever did that is.

When Gerard was around, Mikey plastered on a practiced air of false bravado, stuffing his brother full with reassurances, but deep down, he knew that this most likely would only lead to more disappointment, and he was already bracing himself for the crippling despair that would overtake him when it did. He would pick himself up though - he had to; as long as Gerard still lived, he would keep searching for a cure to whatever it was that ailed him.

"I can't lose him Ray..." Mikey's voice wobbled embarrassingly, but he wasn't ashamed. This was Ray he was talking to after all, and it was pretty hard to spontaneously become shy in front of the guy who had literally been licking his asshole a few hours ago.

"You won't baby." Ray pressed a soft kiss to the top of Mikey's head before pulling him completely on top of his chest, wrapping his arms around him in a protective gesture.

There were a thousand things Mikey wanted to fire back with as arguments, but Ray had heard them all before, and voicing his doubts wouldn't make either of them feel any better, so he wisely chose to stay silent. Ray probably knew what he was thinking anyway if the fact that he hadn't stopped stroking his hair was any indication.

Mikey was so grateful to his mate in that moment, and he knew that he could never express it in words; without him, this entire fucked up situation would have been even more difficult, and Mikey didn't want to waste his brain cells imagining how horrendous that would be. Ray was his rock - his _everything_ in the tumultuous sea that was his life, and Mikey only managed to stay so strong for Gerard because he had Ray holding him up.

It had barely been a year since they had found each other, but vampires mated for life, and once they fell in love, that was it for eternity, and Mikey was beyond ecstatic to spend forever and a day with Ray.

Because even if worst came to worst, and whatever this was ended up destroying Gerard, Mikey knew that Ray would stand by his side the entire way, and help piece him back together when he broke. It wasn't a pretty thought, but Mikey was nothing if not a realist, and he had to consider the possibility that he might not have his brother around for very much longer.

Death scared Mikey, as it probably did all beings with a life span as long as his, but it had been his constant companion since he was very little. Their life on the run was no walk in the park; hunters were always out searching for any vampires they could find, not bothering to check if they were rogues or not before they eliminated them.

They could be killed at any moment, so honestly, the idea shouldn't terrify Mikey as much as it did, but this was different; watching his brother slowly deteriorate before his eyes was a thousand times worse than Gerard being taken down by a bullet, or dying to protect the people he loved. This all just seemed so pointless, such a waste of the wonderful person that was his brother.

Maybe it wasn't really any different, it would still rip Mikey's heart out if his brother was killed by hunters, or an unlucky accident, but at least that way it would be quick, and then it would be _over_ , and Gerard wouldn't be suffering anymore.

A gentle snore broke through Mikey's morbid thoughts, bringing a secret smile to his lips. Mikey didn't showcase many signs of happiness these days, which was understandable in his current situation, but Ray always managed to bring the elusive expression out on his face, even when he was asleep.

Releasing a breath, along with his pent up worries and what-ifs all regarding his ailing brother, Mikey buried his face in Ray's neck before drifting back off to sleep, the safety he felt in his mate's embrace allowing him to relax despite the underlying tension thrumming in his veins, and for the time being, that would have to be enough until he could find a way to save Gerard.

This could all wait until tomorrow, Gerard still had time, and they were in New Jersey now. Just for tonight, Mikey was going to pretend that everything was okay, and simply enjoy the feeling of his lover's arms encasing him.


	3. Ray - The Living Breathing Body Pillow

Ray cracked his eyes open warily; years of running had made him extremely cautious about awakenings, because there was always the chance that the hunters had found him, or that they were looking for him, and any movement would give away his position. Not even a year of actually having people to watch his back had broken the old habits, and Ray honestly wasn't sure if they would ever fade away completely.

Racking his brain, Ray tried to remember where the hell he was this time; each night ended in a different location, another hiding place that would hopefully remain hidden until he could move again - _run_ again. He was always _running_ it seemed, and it was a struggle to ascertain what day this was, much less _where_ he was. At least he was inside though, and he was _safe_ , and so was Mikey, who happened to be sprawled across his chest at the moment, still slumbering peacefully.

It would be a cold day in Hell when Mikey awoke before Ray; in the year he had spent with him, it hadn't happened once, and Ray found it oddly adorable. It may have been caused by Mikey's constant night time disruptions to care for his brother, or by the fact that even though he was hundreds of years old, Mikey still acted like a teenager half of the time, but whatever the case, it was endearing, at least, in Ray's eyes it was.

Ray loved having the opportunity to watch Mikey's chest gently rise and fall, the innocent expression on his face was wiped clean of all the cares and worries he carried during his waking hours, and Ray wished that he could erase them permanently with some magic ' _make everything better'_ tool, but that was ridiculous, and Ray obviously needed to get some more sleep, because he wasn't thinking straight yet.

But after keeping his eyes closed for a few minutes, and achieving absolutely nothing in the fall-back-asleep department, Ray returned to his favorite pastime of creepily staring at his comatose mate like a fucking stalker, but he could do that, because Mikey was _his_ now, and he would never get tired of looking at his stupidly beautiful face.

Briefly, he debated if he should get up and scrounge through the house he now remembered them crashing in for some form of breakfast, because contrary to popular belief - vampires did eat actual food. Blood sustained them, but they still needed to ingest carbs and nutrients through normal means, and Ray had no idea why humans thought that they survived on blood alone besides the fact that they were all fucking idiots, but _seriously_ , some of the ideas they came up with were so witless, Ray almost felt sorry for them and their lack of brain cells.

He threw that idea away though, deciding instead to enjoy a few more minutes of solitude with Mikey. It was still early yet, and they had almost reached their destination, so they wouldn't have to head out at the crack of dusk this time; his aching feet were definitely grateful for that. Mikey had been dead set on reaching Jersey by morning, so he had pushed them at a much quicker pace than Ray was used to maintaining, and with his boots beginning to fall apart, the journey had been less than pleasant.

Gazing down at his lover, Ray reminisced on how dismal his life had been before he had found his mate. Even though they weren't the happiest of memories to drag to the surface, they illustrated the contrast between who he had been and who he was now, and in turn, made him even more grateful for the unhappy circumstances that had thrown the two strangers together.

Before the purge, Ray had lived like all young vampires at the time - safe and cocooned within the vampire society, protected from the outside world filled with wary humans and hatred he knew nothing about. His parents had been wonderful people, and Ray wanted for nothing, because his life with them was perfect and filled with love. The couple had tried for ages to conceive a child, so Ray was a blessing to them, and they never let him forget it.

Because _yes_ \- vampires were born, not created or made when a human was bitten, once again emphasizing humanity's utter stupidity and ability to turn myths into fact without ever bothering to try to discover the truth. Vampires did have a much harder time reproducing than humans though, and with their basically unlimited life span, that was probably genetically intended, or else vampires would have overtaken the world, which in Ray's opinion, wouldn't be such a bad thing, because humans were cruel, and stupid, and hateful, and it was thanks to them that vampires were now an endangered race.

And _yes_ , Ray could understand why they feared vampires so much, but it wasn't as if they killed humans, they just took their blood from time to time, and in the past, it was only from the ones who were willing donors, so what harm were they causing?

 _Jealousy_ was the true root of their hatred, but Ray had been too young to understand that at the time. Humans had always longed for immortality, and their inability to find it had caused them to despise the creatures that were born with it, although vampires did die of natural causes eventually, but only after thousands of years.

Ray could still remember the golden age of the vampires, even though he hadn't lived in it long, and it had all came tumbling down back when he was very young. In those days, vampires were respected - albeit feared, and they lived side by side with the human communities in a false sense of harmony that seemed flawless on the surface.

The vampires helped the humans flourish with their eons of knowledge, and in return, they were paid a small tithe, coupled with willing humans that would become blood donors. This used to be considered a high honor, which involved being accepted into the vampire society and getting to live a pampered life without worries of money, or any other trivial things to bother the chosen ones.

People once lined up for the position, because who wouldn't want to experience the world of mystery that so few humans got to witness with their own eyes, but over time, the applicants for donors began to trickle off, fearful rumors of what really went on behind closed doors turned people away, and the appeal of living with vampires didn't seem like something anyone wanted to participate in any more.

They were all lies of course, vampires didn't treat the humans who provided them with blood like slaves - quite the opposite actually. They were coddled and cherished, the families who they ended up staying with would act as if they were their own children, and - at least to Ray's knowledge - nothing unseemly ever happened to them, because why would a vampire abuse the source of something that was essential to their survival?

But rumors had a way of spreading, whether they contained a grain of truth or not, and try as they might, the vampires could not expel them. They even opened their homes to the curious humans who made outrageous claims regarding the treatment of the blood donors, but although the humans couldn't find proof of any crime being committed, they refused to change their beliefs.

It all came down to the fact that the humans had become arrogant with their new technology and advancements, which they _conveniently_ forgot had been brought about by the vampires. They began to grumble among themselves concerning the pointlessness of the tithe, and why should they have to lose a member of their family to some blood thirsty creature when they could just cut them off instead.

Sensing the growing tension, the vampires did everything within their power to soothe the situation, making as many changes as they could to placate the species they depended on for food, including forming a council made up of high ranking humans and vampires so they could discuss problems without involving the entire community, but just like a vase that had been smashed could never be reassembled perfectly, despite how delicately the shards were glued back together, the peace between the vampires and humans had been broken, and no amount of negotiation would make it whole again.

Because the humans didn't want to talk out their problems, they wanted to be free of the vampires who they perceived as unfair overlords instead of a helpful addition to their lives. What they didn't realize was that the vampires would have removed themselves from the situation peacefully, even found another way to get blood if they had been asked, but the humans were proud and stubborn, so they didn't ask - they expected the vampires to _know_ , and their continued efforts at restoring a sense of harmony between the two races only enraged the humans further.

And like all things, in the end, the boiling resentment reached a head, and what should have been a minor incident evolved into an all-out massacre, because the humans had been waiting for an excuse to overthrow the vampires, so when an illness turned a small portion of the vampire population rogue, they jumped at the opportunity.

The vampires did everything they could to contain the rogues; this condition was rare, and could be brought on by excessive feeding after a stretch of extreme hunger - or in this case, a strange virus that no one had encountered before - turning a perfectly sane vampire into a blood thirsty killing machine that was a much better fit to the legends that hung around them than a full functioning vampire.

It had been centuries since anyone had been afflicted with this disorder, and _of course_ , now it was happening at the _worst_ possible moment when everything was fraught with tension, and the tower of events leading up to this had just been waiting for the final tremor before it all fell to the ground.

And by unhappy chance, a few rogues managed to escape the isolation of the covens and wreak havoc on the human population. The humans had been preparing for this much more feverishly than the vampires could ever have imagined, forming an elite group of soldiers known as _The Hunters_ whose sole purpose in life had been training to eliminate vampires. They hadn't been planning on revealing their perfect weapons so soon, but this was a golden opportunity for the upheaval of the vampires, and they couldn't waste it.

So the humans unleashed their killing machines with orders to exterminate all vampires - rogues or not, uncaring for women or children causalities, because they truly desired the vampires to be eradicated from the face of the earth, and poor Ray, who was only twenty years old, which was still a child in vampire terms since they didn't come of age until one hundred years, slept peacefully in his bed, unaware of the horrors that were about to descend on him.

Ray would never forget that day - _no vampire_ that had survived it would, and not many had. The humans attacked as soon as morning had broken, leaving the vampires with no escape route unless they wanted to risk being incinerated by the scorching sun. The assailants started massive fires which quickly surrounded the vampire covens, leaving them with the terrible choice of being burned alive by the flames or the sun.

Soldiers stood guard waiting for any who tried to make a break for freedom, cutting them down like they were simple beasts instead of living, breathing people, because to the humans - they were _monsters_ , and they didn't deserve to live side by side with such a superior race; their hatred blinded them to the fact that they had become the killers in this tale - _not_ the vampires.

It was anathema: senseless violence of the worst kind, pointless genocide brought on by insecurities and the need for violence that seemed too deeply ingrained in the human nature for evolution to ever wean out. This was humanity at its worst, and even with his kind heart, Ray could never quite forgive them for what they had done to his people.

 _Obviously_ , he had survived, thanks to his parents sacrifices and quick thinking. As soon as the fires broke out, they had realized what was happening; being on the vampire council, they had sensed the buried resentment the humans had tried so desperately to hide, and they had been expecting them to attempt something, just not a full scale assault of such massive proportions.

Knowing that they had to save their child - if not themselves, Ray was bundled head to toe in protective clothing that his father used when daytime travel became a necessity. It wouldn't stop the sun's rays indefinitely, but it would last for about ten minutes, which was more than enough time for Ray to make a break for the nearby forest with its accompanying shade.

Ray had begged them not to send him away, he wanted to stay and fight by his father's side with the rest of his people, even though he was just a child, and he had never harmed anyone before, but his mother's heartfelt pleas had swayed him, along with her false promise that they would join Ray as soon as it was safe. He should never have left them to die, but he was young, and innocent, and he truly believed that his parents would kill all the bad humans and return to him alive and well.

The race to the forest was the most terrifying moment in Ray's young life, constantly keeping an eye out for humans, while with each passing second, his skin was growing hotter, and he knew he didn't have long before it started burning.

By some miracle, Ray made it to the tree line unharmed, his small stature and dark clothing had allowed him to avoid detection. Not knowing what else to do, Ray settled in to wait for his parents, making sure that he was hidden from view while still maintaining a line of sight to the chaos that was unfolding in the coven.

He shouldn't have stayed, he should have run until the screams and acrid smoke were nothing but an unhappy memory, because if he had, he wouldn't be carrying around the image of his parent's dead bodies to this day, but it was too late to take his actions back, and even though the memories still made him sick to his stomach, at least Ray knew what had happened to his family, unlike so many others of his kind who had no idea what fate had befallen their loved ones.

Ray hadn't known that the entire coven would be massacred, he hadn't realized that humans could overpower vampires so easily, even with the elements in their favor. His childlike mind was convinced that they would win, because vampires were stronger, and faster, and smarter than humans, so no other possibility made any sense to him.

But when he saw his parents shot down as they led a final charge against the evil humans that had ruined his life, everything he had ever believed in was turned upside down, and he had to choke back his wail of despair before he gave away his hiding place.

Ray couldn't remember how long he spent there crouched among the towering trees, watching helplessly as everyone he had ever known was slaughtered before his eyes while he cried silently from his spot of safety, but eventually, it all ended, as everything must, even the terrible things that seemed to drag on forever. The humans emerged victorious, leaving behind only ashes and bodies in their wake.

Ray ached to return to the coven and bury each of his brethren as was befitting, but he was so _scared_ : scared of detection, but most of all, scared of staring into the vacant eyes of his loved ones and having to accept that he was truly alone. So instead, he searched the forest, hoping to discover other survivors; someone had to still be alive, he couldn't have been the only one to make it out.

But after two days, Ray was forced to accept the inevitable fact that his actions were in vain; if anyone had managed to escape the slaughter, they were long gone by now, and he had to leave soon before the humans got the same idea he had and began searching the forest for anyone they had missed the first time. So he ran, with no location in mind and the crippling survivor's guilt his sole companion.

At first, every night was almost his last; all humans were on the lookout for runaway vampires with intentions to kill on sight - no questions asked, but Ray refused to give them the pleasure. He fought with a ferocious passion he didn't know he possessed, he wouldn't let these monsters take him - he had to keep living, because as far as he knew, he might be the last vampire left.

Over time, survival became an easier task; humans seemed to forget about vampires completely, thinking them nothing more than children's tales, or fake characters out of a gory movie. All was overlooked, except by The Hunters, who passed down their sickening legacy to their children, and their children's children, making it impossible for the vampires to ever reemerge fully into society again.

Eventually, Ray came across another of his kind, but much to his dismay, it was a rogue, insane with hunger and retaining none of what had once been him. It had hurt more than Ray had imagined to kill him, because this was the closest he had been to a vampire in two hundred years, and even if he was no longer truly sane, he wanted to find a way to cure him so he wouldn't be so alone anymore.

But there was no remedy for going rogue, at least, not that Ray knew of; it was like rabies for a dog, once it happened, they had to be put down before they hurt themselves and anyone around them.

So Ray committed the grisly deed with only a smidgen of regret, because a rogue would definitely bring attention to his most recent hiding place, and he couldn't afford to be discovered after working so hard to sequester himself away.

And even though the vampire was now dead, finding him was a _sign_ , a sign that all vampires hadn't been banished from the earth, and even though this was just a rogue, there had to be others out there.

Ray never gave up on his belief that he would one day find more of his kind, because his child's hope that he wasn't the only survivor still hadn't been quenched - quite the opposite actually thanks to his recent run in with the rogue, and he couldn't let it be, because if he accepted the fact that he might be the last of his kind, then it would make carrying on that much harder, and it was already fucking hard enough without adding any more despair.

And if he had given up, then he would never have met _Mikey Way_ : the love of his life, his mate, his savior.

Only a few nights after his killing of the rogue, Ray had thought he had finally reached his end, backed into a corner by two hunters with no more bullets in his gun and only their inability to count saving him at the moment, because they weren't sure if he had any ammunition left, or maybe another clip on him, so they were hanging back for the moment.

Just when Ray had decided to make one last charge in honor of his parents, he had heard screams of pain coming from his attackers, even though he hadn't moved a muscle, so he _obviously_ couldn't be the cause of their distress.

And the last thing he expected to see when he cautiously peeked his head around the corner was two vampires making quick work of the hunters who had been about to end his life. He briefly considered the possibility that he was already dead, or hallucinating, or _something_ like that, because what were the odds that just when he needed it most - not one, but _two_ vampires showed up when he hadn't seen any for years?

But when they didn't magically disappear, Ray had to admit that he wasn't going crazy, and these were indeed his brethren. He was so fucking ecstatic to see them, the first thing he did was pull the two vampires into a bone crushing hug. Ray was a hugger who hadn't had a hug since his parents had died, so he didn't even stop to think if they would be weirded out by some random stranger embracing them, because he needed the physical interaction more than he realized.

And luckily for Ray, they seemed to receive his random act of affection well, they didn't shove him off or anything at least, so he took that as a good sign, and honestly - if they had been living anything like he had over the past few years, they were probably just as happy to see another vampire as he was.

Finally, Ray pulled away, intending to ask their names before he was struck speechless by the lanky brown haired vampire who stood before him, his train of thought evaporating entirely, actually - he lost his memory of _everything_ : including the hunters, and his almost death, because standing right in front of him was his _fucking mate_.

Ray briefly debated smacking himself to make sure that he really hadn't died, because this was too good to be true, so the only feasible explanation must be that he was in Heaven, but he chose not to follow through with that embarrassing course of action, and luckily for him, he was very much alive, and this was really fucking happening.

Unlike humans - vampires do fall in love at first sight, and the instant his eyes met Mikey's hazel ones had been the turning point in what had so far been a miserable existence. Once he realized that he was in fact not dead, Ray knew that he would never be alone again.

Now he was no longer lost and adrift in this cruel world, and against all odds, he had found his mate, as if the universe felt remorse for the suffering it had forced on him and this was its way of apologizing.

Luckily, Mikey had returned his feelings, because there were some cases - albeit very isolated ones, where a vampire's mate was not the same as the other's, but Mikey and Ray were not cursed by this malady, _hell_ \- they were so besotted with each other it was almost sickening to witness from an outsider's perspective.

And even though Ray was now walking on cloud nine, Mikey wasn't - _not yet_ , and he wouldn't be until his brother was healed. Ray desperately wanted to help, but all he could do was sit and watch on the sidelines, just like all of those years ago when he had been forced to witness his parent's last stand. The situations might not have been identical, but it felt the same to Ray; he had never quite recovered from the survivor's guilt, and if Gerard died, he knew it would intensify tenfold. Ray would do anything to stop that from happening, but he was clueless as to what that could possibly be.

Ray cared about Gerard; not only because he was Mikey's brother, but because he was his best friend - _well_ , his only friend, but it still counted, and he didn't deserve whatever was happening to him - no one did, but especially not Gerard. Even with everything he had been through, Gerard was still so kind and caring, he put everyone's needs before his own, _fuck_ \- he had risked his life to save Ray's and he hadn't even known him then.

Gerard didn't have a mean bone in his body, except maybe when it came to humans, but that was a well-earned prejudice that Ray shared with him, and the unfairness of this entire situation made Ray's blood boil.

Ray belatedly realized that it had become fully dark while he was lost in the past, and even though it was adorable, Ray was getting very uncomfortable with Mikey still lying on top of him like he was his own personal body pillow. He was pretty sure his ass was completely asleep by now, and his stomach was rumbling, and he needed to get up and make some food, because Mikey _definitely_ wasn't going to do it. By the sounds of it, Gerard was still fast asleep, which meant he wasn't a candidate for cooking either, so Ray deposited Mikey on the bed; he took no notice of it of course, simply rolling over slightly as if nothing had happened.

If Mikey had been awake, he would have seen the loving look Ray directed at him before padding down to the kitchen silently, and it would have warned him from his head to his toes, but he wasn't, so Ray's adoration went unnoticed for the time being.

In this world of death, and darkness, and despair, Mikey and Ray were a small speck composed of light and love. Ray took that as proof that there was still hope for the vampire race, and that this wouldn't all end in tragedy, because the universe wouldn't be so cruel as to provided him with the love of his life, only to rip it all away from him in the end - _right?_


	4. Apparently Everyone In This Fic Is Gay Fucking Sue Me

As Ray was contemplating getting out of bed, and Mikey and Gerard hadn't even reached that step yet; unbeknownst to them, and they probably wouldn't have cared either way (except for maybe Gerard), Frank Iero was desperately wishing that he could crawl back into his own sheets, because this day had been a long one, and it didn't appear to be drawing to a close anytime soon.

It had been one emergency after the next at the small vet clinic which Frank not only worked at, but also owned, and as much as Frank loved his job, he let out a sigh of relief as he plastered the traditional closed sign in the window of his practice.

Frank adored animals, but the dalmatian that he had just treated - who was ironically named Princess, had been anything but a _princess_ when it came to her yearly shots. Frank was still sore from being barreled over by the massive creature, and she wasn't the only misbehaving dog he had dealt with today, just the biggest.

Brewing himself a cup of coffee, Frank put his feet up on the rickety table, deciding to take a well-deserved break before he began cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow's patients. He had already sent everyone else home, because even though Frank had no life outside of his work, he knew his employees did, and he disliked keeping them past nightfall, especially since most of them walked, and the Jersey streets transformed into dangerous territory after dark.

Lately, the city had become even more perilous than usual; the police were convinced that some sick serial killer was on the loose because of the abnormal rise in the body count - that, or a strange animal. Numerous people had been found with vicious bite marks on their neck, inspiring the police to put a temporary curfew in effect, stating that all residents should be in their homes by no later than midnight given the fact that most of the murders had occurred around two in the morning. Frank was convinced it was some psycho with a vampire kink, he had seen something like that on Criminal Minds once, so it didn't seem _too_ far-fetched.

The civilians were beginning to panic, some going so far as to take extended holidays, or moving away entirely, but not Frank, because Jersey was home to him, and he could never imagine living anywhere else, even though his parents had long since left for retirement in Florida, and although they had pleaded for him to come with them, Frank had refused.

Frank's adamant stance on not relocating to Florida may or may not have had something to do with his fear of alligators - or was it crocodiles - _fuck_ , it didn't matter, they both had way too many teeth and lived in Florida, and with him being a vet, what if someone kept one as a pet, and he had to treat it or something? Also, Florida was hot as hell, or so Frank had heard, and his pale Jersey complexion would probably fry under the searing Florida sun.

But those were all just petty excuses, and Frank knew it; the truth was, he didn't want to leave Jersey, because it was full of memories, and he had friends here, and a comfortable life, so he didn't want to throw that all away to be near his parents, no matter how much he loved them - what twenty-seven year old would?

Probably the main reason that Frank didn't want to leave was his veterinary practice, which he had started from the ground up all by himself, and that also happened to be his greatest achievement to date. He had worked hard to build up a good rapport with his clients and patients; now his regulars were like family to him, and abandoning them all because of what may or may not be a serial killer was simply out of the question.

Being a veterinarian hadn't been Frank's first choice of career, _not at all_. Actually, Frank had never even intended to go to college; he was so sure that his high school band Pencey Prep was going to make it big that he hadn't considered furthering his education, but of course, they _hadn't_ , and eventually, Frank had been forced to face the music - or lack thereof, and take a good hard look at his life.

His only other passion had been animals - mainly canines, so veterinarian seemed like a natural choice for him, because he couldn't pull off the whole dog whispering thing, and Cesar Millan had already monopolized that career anyway - if it could even be considered one. Frank regretted his decision when he discovered how much schooling it involved, but by the time he found out, it was too late to change his mind, unless he wanted to be a college dropout with no job, so he soldiered through it, and eventually emerged with a license to practice veterinary medicine in New Jersey.

Frank never lost his passion for music though, he still played his guitar - which he had affectionately named Pansy - whenever he had a spare moment, which wasn't often, but he did try to make time for it. His good friends Matt, Rob, and Evan had been trying to convince him to start a band with them, and even though the thought was undeniably tempting, Frank just didn't want to make that kind of commitment, because he knew how he got when he became immersed in a new project, and he didn't want his practice to suffer because of his one-track mind, so he continued to put them off.

Just then, Frank's phone began ringing shrilly, disturbing his short coffee break and the peace and silence he had been enjoying so much. Glancing over at the display screen, Frank suppressed a sigh when he saw it was his mother calling. The temptation to ignore her was strong, but it had been two weeks since he had talked to her, and he didn't want her to worry. Knowing his mother, she would just call back in a few minutes anyway if he didn't pick up.

"Hey mom." Frank tried to put on a cheerful tone as he pressed the device to his ear so the woman wouldn't automatically assume that something was wrong, because _nothing_ was, Frank was simply tired, and overworked, and he wanted to be able to take a five minute break without being interrupted.

"Frankie baby, I have missed you, why haven't you called lately?"

Frank bit his lip to hold in another sigh; it wasn't like he didn't enjoy talking to his mother, she was a lovely woman, and he knew she only wanted to catch up, she just did so entirely too often for Frank's liking, because nothing had changed since two weeks ago, and he never knew what to say, coupled with the fact that he kind of hated talking on the phone for some unknown reason.

"I'm sorry mom, I have just been really busy with work and stuff." Frank hoped his mother would drop the topic there and begin to tell him about how Florida was, but he really should have known better; his mother's favorite subject to discuss was him and his boring life, and she could make a menial sentence like the one he had just uttered into an hour long conversation.

"And _stuff_...what kind of _stuff_ Frankie? Have you found a lovely lady to settle down with yet, because I am not getting any younger, and I want to look good at your wedding." Frank rolled his eyes, thankful that his mother couldn't see him, because this had to be the hundredth time that she had asked this very same question, and his answer was never going to change, no matter how much his mother wished it would.

"Mom - how many times do I have to tell you that I'm _gay?_ " Frank asked wearily.

"I know Frankie, I'm sorry, it still might be a phase though, I mean - you haven't been with a guy in a while... _have you?_ "

Frank knew his mother wasn't attempting to be hurtful; she had been raised extremely catholic, and Frank's sexuality had been a shock to her delicate senses, _still_ , she hadn't been cruel to him - not at all. When Frank had come out, he had been expecting to be kicked to the curb, or disowned, but none of those things had happened. She still hadn't completely accepted it - _obviously_ , but she was trying, and Frank didn't fault her for it, because she was doing her best, and that was all he could ask of her.

"No mom, I haven't been with anyone lately, but that still doesn't mean I am magically going to decide I like women."

Because let's face it - Frank was about as straight as a rainbow slinky that had gotten all tangled up in itself, and those things never came undone, no matter how much effort is put into trying to smooth out the knots.

"Okay, well you better tell me right away if you meet someone - _seriously_ , anyone. You need a nice... _man_ in your life baby." Frank smiled against the phone, because even though she had paused, and saying that had obviously made her uncomfortable, his mother was listening to him, and it was a fucking _good_ feeling.

"I promise you will be the first to know, but don't get your hopes up okay? I am not exactly a social butterfly."

Whatever Frank's mother replied with was lost in the rapid knocking that suddenly erupted throughout the room. Frank tried his best to ignore it and tune back into his mother's words, because unless the idiot at the door couldn't read, they would soon realize that the vet's office was indeed closed, but as the pounding continued, Frank came to the conclusion that whoever was assaulting his poor door was either blind, an asshole, or a complete _moron_ , and he wasn't in the mood for any of the above.

"I'm sorry mom, I have to go, some jerk is trying to get in here after hours. I will call you tomorrow okay?" Frank had to borderline shout to be heard over the ruckus that was now filling the front office, but his mother still managed to catch his meaning.

"Okay baby, be safe. I love you."

"I love you too mom," Frank replied before ending the call and pocketing his phone, trying to tamp down his fury so he didn't rip the head off of whoever was outside, even though it might be satisfying - it was also _illegal_.

Frank shoved open the door slightly harder than necessary, but since the person was knocking much louder than the situation called for, they deserved almost getting hit in the face, at least in Frank's mind. The person - well _persons_ actually - managed to jump out of the way in time, much to Frank's chagrin, but he still fixed them with a glare as he took in their appearances.

They seemed young, maybe his age, but Frank was terrible at judging that, so honestly, they could have been anywhere from eighteen to thirty-five - well, maybe not _that_ old, but whatever. They both had brown hair, one had obviously straightened his to death while the other's was more natural, and they also shared a similar build; brothers maybe? One thing was for sure, they were definitely attractive, and unless Frank's gaydar was seriously malfunctioning, at least one of them was gay.

The reason for their visit was obvious; the man who had spent some quality time with the hair straightener was clutching a white dog in his arms, some kind of poodle mix if Frank had to guess, which looked malnourished to the point of death and in pain to boot. Frank felt his anger slipping away as the sight of the poor animal tugged on his heartstrings, and he let his face fall into a more welcoming expression.

"I'm so sorry, I know you are closed, but the animal hospital is so far away, and he's _hurt_ \- a car hit him, and I couldn't leave him there, and..."

"Ryan baby, you need to calm down, or else he won't be able to help us," the shorter man cut the other off before Frank could get a word in edgewise, shooting him an apologetic grin as he spoke.

Okay, so maybe not brothers then, unless they were exceptionally close siblings, but Frank had a feeling that _boyfriends_ would be a better label for the two strangers relationship - so much for his brief hope that he might have a chance with one of them.

"It's fine, I will see what I can do, just next time, please don't break down my door." Frank smiled up at the two men before beckoning them to follow him inside.

"Sorry about that, Ryan just gets excitable, and he was worried that no one would be here since it is so late."

"Well lucky for you, I live here - not _in_ the office, but I have a room above it." Frank gestured upward to his humble abode, even though they couldn't see it from their current position. Living at work had its perks and its downfalls, but Frank wouldn't have it any other way, because above all else, he loved helping animals, and even if he had to lose a little more sleep, he wasn't going to turn this poor dog out on the streets.

"Oh god, you are a lifesaver - uh..." The one apparently named Ryan trailed off as Frank motioned for him to lay the wounded animal down on his examining table.

"The name's Frank, and it's no problem - _really_. So what is this little guy called?" Frank asked as he carefully poked and prodded the small creature, finding no life threatening injuries besides a possibly sprained leg. He could patch him up quickly, and as long as he was fed properly, he would be right as rain.

"I don't know...we were just walking, and I saw the car hit him. I couldn't leave him, and the driver didn't even notice, so I brought him here." Ryan twisted his hands nervously while shooting glances at the other man whose name Frank still hadn't caught.

"Well do you want to give him a name?" Frank offered, which caused Ryan's face to light up as his companion scowled darkly.

" _Please_ Brendon, can I name him?" Ryan pleaded in a manner similar to that of a five year old, and Frank almost felt bad for him; obviously, he didn't know this couple at all, but Brendon seemed to be a bit of a dick, and Frank didn't understand why it was such a big deal that Ryan wanted to name the dog.

"Excuse us for a second." Brendon pulled Ryan into the front room as Frank began puttering around for bandages, trying his best to pretend that he wasn't eavesdropping, even though he _totally_ was.

"Ryan...if you name him, you will just get even more attached, and we can't keep him, _you know that_. I mean, a dog needs sunlight, and grass, and long walks, and we couldn't give him any of that, pets aren't even allowed in the coven." Brendon ran his hands through his hair in agitation; he seemed genuinely upset about this, and Frank's feelings for him softened slightly, even though he had no clue what the hell they were talking about, because he had missed quite a few words here and there, but he couldn't just sit with his ear plastered against the wall - that might be a tad bit too _obvious_.

"But Bren...I love him already, and I have always wanted a dog. I swear I will keep him hidden, no one will even know he is there..."

"I know baby, _I do_...but we can't break the rules again, we are already going to be in enough trouble for sneaking out tonight."

Frank's curiosity was now well and truly piqued, because these men looked like adults, but judging by their conversation, they lived somewhere with strict rules, maybe a boarding school, but there was nothing like that around here that Frank knew of, and even though it was none of his business, Frank had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from cutting in with one of the multiple questions swimming through his mind.

"You're right...as _usual_. This fucking sucks," Ryan pouted and Frank heard Brendon laugh softly in response.

"I'm sorry baby." Frank witnessed them exchange a brief kiss out of the corner of his eye before they reentered the examination room holding hands.

Frank's heart clenched in his chest at the sight, and it took him a moment to realize why - he was _jealous_ , and not because he wanted one of them, but because he desired a relationship like they had. Deep down, Frank was lonely: he had friends, and a good life, but he had never had anyone - besides his parents that is - who truly loved him. Sure he had gone through a couple of high school boyfriends, but since then, his romantic encounters had been as few and far between as a punk kid at a One Direction concert, and Frank had managed to convince himself that he was perfectly okay with that, until _today_ that is.

"So how is he?" Ryan asked softly.

"Oh - um - yeah, he is going to be fine, he just needs food and rest. His leg is sprained, but it should heal soon as long as he stays off of it. I want to keep him here tonight for observation just in case though," Frank rambled quickly as he finished tying off the bandage on the still unnamed dog's leg, trying to shove his newfound emotions back into the dark hole where they belonged with dismal results.

"Thank you so much, you are so sweet for doing this after hours." Ryan flung himself at Frank, pulling him into a friendly embrace, causing Brendon to chortle at his boyfriend's overly affectionate nature and Frank's awkward attempt at hugging back.

"It's seriously nothing, I'm just glad you brought him in when you did before anything else happened to him. So - um...will you be taking him home after he is released?" Frank tried to hold on to the facade that he was oblivious to the conversation they had held earlier, and it seemed to be working so far.

"Uh - I don't think so..." Brendon began before he was cut off by Ryan.

"But could we come back tomorrow and see him? At least for a visit before he has to go to the pound...or _wherever?_ " Ryan had such a hopeful expression on his face that it was impossible for Frank to deny him anything, especially not this simple wish.

"Of course you can, and just so you know, I close at six, so try to be here before then yeah?"

"Oh - _um_...we might not be able to make it then..." Ryan shuffled his feet uncomfortably, and Brendon had his bottom lip between his teeth, which Frank assumed was a nervous habit of his.

"Well I can make an exception, but only if you promise not to abuse my poor door anymore if you come after closing hours," Frank gave in, Ryan's sad eyes convincing him to open his home up to complete strangers during his few free hours of alone time, even though that was very unlike him.

"You would really do that? Oh my god - you are the sweetest person ever," Ryan practically squealed. "So we will be here tomorrow around the same time then if that's okay?"

"Yeah that's fine with me."

Frank brushed off Ryan's thanks as Brendon practically dragged him out the door, muttering to himself about sneaking out two nights in a row, and how much trouble they were going to be in, but Frank simply waved goodbye, pretending not to hear what he was obviously not intended to.

And _really_ , Frank wasn't doing them a favor at all, he was actually being quite selfish, because the only reason he was allowing them to return was his burning curiosity about their situation - well maybe not the _only_ reason. Ryan really adored that dog, and Frank felt a bond with any fellow canine lover, but his inquisitiveness was the main source of his kindness.

Because no matter how hard he pondered what they could be mixed up in as he put the small dog into his own kennel, making sure he had plenty of food and water, Frank was no closer to understanding why they couldn't keep a pet, and where they could possibly live that didn't have grass or sunlight, (at least - he was pretty sure that was what Brendon had said) not to mention a strict curfew that had two ( _possibly_ ) grown men afraid to go out during the day, when everyone else was terrified of the night.

And even though it didn't matter or pertain to Frank's life at all, he wanted to figure this mystery out, because now that he thought about it, he had never seen those two before in his life. Belleville wasn't that big of a town, and Frank knew everyone here. It was possible that they had recently moved in, but who would relocate to this shitty town that may or may not be inhabited by a serial killer at the moment?

The enigma that was Brendon and Ryan continued to plague Frank even after he retired to his bed, and if he was being completely honest with himself - which he _definitely_ wasn't - he was just occupying his mind with this mystery because he didn't want to focus on the deeper and much more personal thoughts that their visit, coupled with his mother's phone call, had awoken. Frank didn't want to think about his pathetic love life - or lack thereof, and he didn't want to admit that he was isolated, and terrified that he would remain that way for the rest of eternity, or until he died of old age, because no one lived forever, that would be _ridiculous_.

Because what would those thoughts do - _nothing_ except for bring him down and upset the delicate balance that he maintained in his life. He didn't have time for a lover - _hell_ , he didn't even have anyone in mind if he did, so there was no point in pining over something he would never have.

Frank had always been ridiculously picky anyway, which is probably why he was still single. Deep down, Frank was a hopeless romantic, and he didn't want to settle for just _anyone_ ; he wanted someone that gave him butterflies in his stomach, he wanted to fall head over heels only for the other person to catch him before he hit the ground, but those things only occurred in fairy tales, and Frank wasn't so naive as to believe that would happen to him.

So Frank fell asleep alone again, thinking about the oddity that Brendon and Ryan had brought into his life, studiously ignoring the painful ache in his heart, because it was _nothing_ , he was fine on his own, and that was how it was going to stay.


	5. Big Girls Don't Cry And Neither Does Mikey Way Except For This Once

"Hurry up Ry! We have to get back before Bert notices we are gone."

Ryan sighed softly under his breath, trying not to take Brendon's tone to heart, because he knew that Brendon was frustrated, and it was Ryan's fault, but he just couldn't resist the urge to wander the outside world tonight.

It wasn't as if Brendon had to come with him, Ryan hadn't forced him, he had simply told him of his plans, as well as extending his mate an invitation to join him if he wished, and Brendon didn't have a very strong resolve when it came to Ryan. Ryan knew this of course, so he used it to his advantage as often as possible, because being topside was always a thousand times better when Brendon was by his side.

"Would you calm down Brendon, he said he was going out tonight anyway, we will be back long before he is, I mean, it's barely even ten in the evening."

Ryan knew that Brendon was right to be worried, because getting caught by Bert, _again_ might he add, was pretty low on his list of things he wanted to experience. The first time had been terrifying, but not enough for him to learn his lesson, in fact, it hadn't deterred him in the slightest, unlike his mate, who had taken Bert's warning much more seriously than Ryan had.

But Brendon still stuck by Ryan's side, because he loved him, and even more importantly, he understood why he did what he did, so he let himself be borderline bullied by his mate, which meant the world to Ryan, and he hoped that Brendon understood how much he appreciated his constant presence.

Still, Ryan was aware that Brendon felt bad for going behind Bert's back just for a few hours of freedom, because Bert trusted them, he _believed_ them when they swore they would never do it again, and even though Bert could be strict and overprotective, he was only looking out for their best interests, which was a fact that Ryan conveniently forgot about all in his quest to enjoy life, the thought only returning once he was forced to lie to the older man's face upon his return.

Ryan knew he probably should feel guilty for his reckless actions before he went through with them, not after, but he just couldn't bring himself to produce that particular emotion when it came to Bert and his _stupid_ fucking rules, because even though he respected the man, he didn't agree with him on almost everything, so Ryan chose to risk his good standing with the older vampire for a chance at happiness, and so far, his numerous jaunts hadn't been discovered since the first occurrence.

The main reason Ryan hated Bert's rules was that there was absolutely _nothing_ he could do about them, because Bert was the leader of their coven, and he had been for as long as anyone could remember. It was thanks to him that so many of them had survived the purge, not that Brendon or Ryan knew that from firsthand experience. They had both barely turned one hundred, which meant the purge had happened long before either of them had been born, and even though they had heard stories of the horrors that had transpired, to them it seemed so long ago, and therefore slightly irrelevant.

And - in Ryan's opinion at least, the purge was kind of overrated: of course it was sad, and cruel, and unnecessary, but it was in the _past_ , and he hated the way it still managed to affect his life, even though he hadn't been a part of it whatsoever.

That was the whole reason Bert was so strict, and he made so many rules; all because of the purge and his hatred of humans, and Ryan could never see eye to eye with him on that point.

He did agree that humans could be hurtful and malicious, but he didn't believe that was their default setting, and the more of them he met, the more convinced he became that humans weren't all that different from vampires - besides the obvious fact that they didn't drink blood, and they weren't practically immortal - but his point still stood.

A perfect example of human kindness was the veterinarian he had met today - Frank; he would have been well within his rights to turn them away, or even just ignore them completely, but he _hadn't_. He had helped them for no reason other than that he had wanted to, and that didn't seem like the characteristics of an evil killer, so obviously not all humans were terrible creatures.

Ryan desperately wished that Bert would just open his eyes and give them a second chance, or at least grant Ryan his permission to go out into the real world every now and again, because he was technically an adult, so he should be allowed to make his own decisions, even if they ended up being fucking stupid decisions, at least they would be _Ryan's_ , and not Bert's.

But Bert had forgotten what it was like to be young and restless, and he truly thought his ways were the best for everyone, so he didn't realize how stifled Ryan was, and Ryan really did feel like he was trapped in a prison; a prison made of love and good intentions, but still a prison all the same. Brendon understood - even though he didn't exactly share his sentiments, but he still snuck out with him, which meant more to Ryan than he could ever express with words.

They had approached the back entrance to the coven now, they never used the front gate during their escapades, because it wouldn't really be very effective when their purpose was to remain hidden, and no one knew the back gates had been unlocked by Ryan and his set of lock picks, so the area was unguarded and relatively ignored.

The coven was hidden beneath an old abandoned church - which was _so_ _cliché_ , but it worked, and no humans ever came here anymore. Most of the residents of Belleville had forgotten that it existed since it lay on the outskirts of town, so it was the perfect hiding place for a horde of vampires, especially because they didn't actually live in the church - they resided under it in the catacombs which they had extended into a mini city over many years.

And on the off chance that some unfortunate idiot happened to stumble upon the church, the entrance to the catacombs was hidden and sealed, making it basically impossible to find unless they knew exactly what they were looking for, which no one did, thank fuck for that.

Brendon motioned for Ryan to hurry up, and although Ryan understood his anxious hand signals, he simply pretended not to notice them, because he wasn't quite yet ready to return under the earth to the isolation of the coven; he wanted to stay up here, where the air was fresh and everything was new and exciting, but he didn't really have a choice unless he wanted to upset his mate further, and he had already pushed his luck today with the whole dog fiasco, so he hung his head and descended the steps sullenly.

And in moments like this, Ryan truly wished he was born as a human instead of a vampire, or maybe he desired to have been from an earlier generation, back when vampires could actually show their faces without risking being killed, but since he couldn't remember that time, he wasn't one hundred percent sure that was what he wanted, but he knew he yearned for humanity, because even though being a vampire came with so many gifts - it was mostly a _curse_ to Ryan. He didn't really care for his longevity if he had to spend centuries rotting away underground, he would much rather live a short ninety years or so as long as he actually got to have a _fucking_ life.

But if he was human, he might not have Brendon, and Brendon made this all worth it, because he was so fucking _perfect_ , and Ryan didn't deserve him, but that didn't stop Brendon from loving him wholeheartedly. He would probably be well on his way to insanity if it wasn't for his mate, and even though he was pretty sure he drove Brendon crazy at times, he still loved him, which meant more than freedom - only _just_ , but if he had to choose between being able to do whatever he wished and Brendon, he would pick Brendon in a heartbeat every time.

Because the only good thing about the coven right now was Brendon, in Ryan's opinion at least; he was the sole person that could distract Ryan from how much he despised the way he was forced to live, and finding Brendon - and sequentially falling in love with him, almost made the torment worth it.

So with a sad smile, Ryan grasped Brendon's outstretched hand and followed him back into the last place on earth he wanted to be, because he would allow Brendon to lead him into Hell itself as long as it meant they were together.

~~~

Mikey Way was finally coaxed out of his pleasant slumber by the even more pleasant smell of food, because although sleep was amazing, food ranked a little higher on Mikey's list of things he loved. It was a very close margin though, and every now and then, sleep won out, but Mikey had already slept quite a bit, but he hadn't eaten, so food was the winner by a large majority this morning.

Noticing the absence of Ray in the bed, Mikey made the correct assumption that his mate was downstairs cooking. The fact that he was a pretty decent chef made Mikey love him even more, because in his case, food was the pathway to his heart, but Ray had already stolen his heart and his love long before he discovered his culinary abilities: not that his palate was that refined, after living off what Gerard attempted to make, anything else seemed exquisite in comparison, because in all honesty, neither Way brother had received whatever gene necessary to be able to produce edible food.

Pulling himself into a sitting position took entirely too much effort, probably because this was the first real bed Mikey had slept in since about a month ago, and even though it was old and smelled slightly moldy, it was still a _fucking bed_ , with a mattress, and sheets, and everything, so the unpleasant scent was easily ignored in lieu of the comfort it provided.

But Mikey still forced himself to move, mostly because he didn't want Gerard to eat everything before he even had a chance to get downstairs, and although Gerard probably wouldn't actually consume much whatsoever - he usually lost his appetite after the dream - Mikey was still going to make sure he got first pick at whatever it was that Ray was making, which by the smell of it, Mikey was betting on porridge; not his particular favorite, but it was _sustenance_ , and it was hot, and that was more than he could say about most of the meals he had eaten lately.

When he finally did emerge into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Mikey saw that his earlier guess had indeed been spot on, and Ray was standing over a bowl of something that looked like porridge as predicted, causing Mikey to mentally thanked whoever was listening for giving him such an amazing mate for about the thousandth time.

"There you are, I was wondering how long it would be before the smell woke you," Ray chuckled softly as he continued to stir the contents of the pot, which were quite congealed, but that was expected from porridge found in an abandoned house that had probably been there for fuck knows how long.

"Gerard's not up?" Mikey asked, even though he could obviously see that his brother was nowhere in sight, and the house wasn't that big, so there weren't many places that he could hide.

"Not yet, I thought he needed the extra sleep, so I let him be." Mikey nodded in agreement, because although Gerard was typically an early riser, just like Ray, the dream must have exhausted him more than usual.

"Well I'm gonna go get him up, he needs to eat something since he threw everything up earlier." Mikey suited his actions to his words and headed toward the room his brother was currently ensconced in, blowing Ray a kiss before turning down the adjacent hall.

Mikey paused in the doorway when he caught sight of his sleeping brother, and even though he knew he needed to wake him up so they could eat and move on before someone noticed signs of life in a house that should be empty, he just couldn't - _not yet_ , because Gerard looked so fucking _happy_ when he slept, and Mikey missed seeing that expression on his face.

Right now he seemed so peaceful, and innocent, and carefree, and Gerard never looked like that when he was awake - _not anymore_ , and he hadn't for years now that Mikey thought about it, because Gerard had changed so much, which wasn't natural for vampires, and now all that was left of the old Gerard were Mikey's memories.

So instead of doing the responsible thing for once in his life, Mikey decided to take a few moments and just sit and think about the past instead of the future, because Mikey was always worrying about what was coming ahead, and honestly, it was fucking _exhausting_ , so he deserved a five minute break from planning their next move and pretending everything was going to be okay. He just wanted to reminisce on the good times, which seemed so far away they didn't feel real at all, even though he had lived through them.

But when he saw Gerard like this, he remembered when they were younger, when nothing mattered, and the world wasn't such a fucked up place to live in, back when they actually laughed and played, back when their parents were alive, and he had a real family - not that Ray and Gerard didn't make an amazing family, but it was _different_ , and he missed his old life more than he wanted to admit.

Gerard had always been so protective of him, even back then, because children may be rare among vampires, but siblings were basically unheard of. Gerard realized from day one how special Mikey was, and how lucky he was to have a little brother, so he always made sure that Mikey knew how much Gerard adored him; _seriously_ , Mikey couldn't have asked for a better older sibling.

They were an anomaly in the vampire world, making them almost small town celebrities in their coven, but they had both been too young to notice - or even _care_ for that matter, and their parents didn't treat them any differently; so it wasn't until they grew older that they began to understand how rare the bond they had really was, which only strengthened it even further.

Gerard and Mikey were always inseparable, if you found one of them, it was guaranteed that the other was in close proximity; that was one thing that hasn't changed, even after the purge, because Gerard never left Mikey alone - except to feed, and he had only started doing that once they had found Ray. Gerard had always been wary of leaving his little brother with someone who wasn't him, and Ray was the only one he would trust with Mikey's wellbeing.

It wasn't that Gerard didn't think Mikey could take care of himself; he knew he was responsible and smart, but Gerard had made his safety and happiness into his own personal mission, that was just the way it had always been, but things were changing, especially now that he had Ray. Gerard had begun to transfer his responsibilities over to Mikey's mate, making sure that someone would be there for him if the worst happened and Gerard didn't make it through another year.

And although Mikey was desperately trying to convince himself that he could keep going if Gerard died, in this moment, he wasn't sure if that was the complete truth. Gerard had been his whole world for so long, and even now that Ray had been added to that, he just couldn't imagine an existence without his brother in it.

Mikey had never told his brother this of course, why would he when Gerard already had so much to worry about, so he kept his morbid thoughts to himself, because voicing them aloud would only bring pain to the ones he loved the most, and that just seemed selfish, and stupid, and pointless, so he kept quiet on the subject even when he was pressed.

Because as much as Gerard always did his best to shield Mikey from the worst of things, Mikey reciprocated his actions, and they both remained clueless as to how much the other was hiding, but it seemed better this way - _at least_ , that is what they both told themselves.

As the haze of old memories slowly lifted from Mikey's mind, he looked at Gerard - _really looked_ , trying not to see what he had become so accustomed to viewing, but instead, observing the person Gerard had become now, and the changes were borderline shocking. Gerard looked _old_ for lack of a better term, so much older than his years should have accounted for.

Because vampires barely aged, not until they had reached the lofty years counting in the thousands, but there was no denying that Gerard had. Not in the way that he looked like an old man, or was sprouting grey hairs, and if any human had to guess, they would probably say he was in his early twenties - if not younger, but he didn't match the image of himself which Mikey had firmly printed in his memory bank.

That Gerard had been slightly chunky, not yet having lost his affectionately termed baby fat, his face had been rounder and healthier, but now...the new Gerard was thin, maybe not as thin as Mikey, but he had always maintained a twig like stature, so that was nothing new. The weight loss looked abnormal on Gerard though: his figure was borderline unhealthy, his cheekbones were prominent on his face, and his skin was sallow instead of the healthier tone he had maintained in his youth.

Even his hair had changed - besides in length, and it was definitely in need of a trim in Mikey's opinion. The black locks were almost touching his shoulders now, but it was the stringy nature of it, the way it always seemed slightly dirty and oily, even if he had just taken a shower which worried Mikey so much.

Now it might seem like Mikey was overreacting, because to humans, these changes were minuscule, and everyone lost weight at some point, but they weren't humans - they were _vampires_ , and it was such a strange phenomenon for a vampire to change so drastically in such a short time - basically unheard of really, but since the purge, everything had changed, and Mikey was so tired of it. He didn't like change, it was frightening, and unnecessary, and _seriously_ \- if his whole fucking life had to change in one night, couldn't Gerard have been spared, was that too much to ask?

Somewhere during the time that all of these repressed thoughts had risen to the surface, Mikey had begun to cry, but he only just now realized it, much to his embarrassment, because Mikey Way didn't cry - he hadn't in years, so why the fuck had his eyes decided to betray him now?

And even though he wasn't full on sobbing - it was really just a few tears making tracks down his slightly dirt stained face, it still _fucking hurt_ , and he hated crying, because it never made anything better for him, it just made everything ache so much more, and Mikey felt hopeless, and terrified, and alone, even though Gerard was right there on the bed, and Ray was not even ten feet away, but that was what tears did to Mikey Way's mind, which explained why he detested them so much.

And of course, Gerard chose just then to pry his eyes open, which meant that he saw Mikey hastily trying to wipe away the remnants of his random bout of misery; he failed spectacularly at that though, because Gerard could read his brother better than anyone - even Ray, and he knew when his brother was having a mini breakdown, which meant he also knew exactly what to do when events like this occurred.

"Come here Mikes," Gerard murmured, because he knew calling him out and asking his brother to talk about it would do nothing except for make him close up on him, so he simply held out his arms until Mikey closed the small distance between them, collapsing into his chest just like he had done all of those years ago when they were little, back when Mikey had a bad dream, or some kids had teased him, so Gerard would just hold him until he had cried himself out, and then everything was miraculously better afterward.

And in that moment, Mikey's doubts about his ability to survive without his brother increased tenfold, because how could he keep living without his brother's arms around him, without his comforting presence to make all the terrible things in the world fade away - even if it was just for a little while. These thoughts just made even more betraying tears roll down his cheeks, but he had his face buried in Gerard's t-shirt, so he couldn't see them, even though he probably could feel the increased dampness of the fabric.

Gerard knew not to mention it though, even if he had noticed, instead, he just rocked back and forth slightly, humming under his breath until Mikey's tears ebbed and he finally relaxed. Mikey was so thankful for Gerard in that moment that he almost started crying all over again.

Because Gerard might be weak, and he also might be _dying_ , but he could still comfort his baby brother when he needed it most, and that was enough for now; enough to make Mikey content for a few minutes, enough to give him a boost of fake cheerfulness that would hopefully get him through the day, enough to curb his tears while he choked down some debatably spoiled porridge, enough to fake a smile coupled with small talk as they prepared to head off into the night again, because it made Gerard happy, and it stopped him from worrying about Mikey for a short time.

Mikey may have been harboring serious doubts about his brother's chances at survival, but that didn't mean he had given up on him completely, and Mikey would do anything to coax that rare smile onto his older brother's face. Gerard wouldn't stop trying to protect Mikey from all the pain and sadness the world threw at them until the bitter end took away his choice in the matter entirely, so Mikey wasn't going to either, no matter how badly he was hurting inside.


	6. That Crazy Bitch From Frozen Is Fucking With Gerard

_Pain...unbearable agony...the smell of fire and smoke..._

Gerard shook his head groggily, as if the physical motion could displace the gruesome sensations that were floating at the edge of his consciousness, because this couldn't be happening - not _right now_. He was wide awake, that much he was certain of, jogging slowly after Mikey's retreating figure as they edged closer and closer to Belleville, and these crazy images only plagued his mind when he was asleep. They couldn't be creeping into his waking hours, Gerard was already barely surviving as it was, and he honestly wasn't sure if he was strong enough to handle anything else right now.

"Gerard?" Mikey's voice cut through Gerard's pathetic attempts to convince himself that nothing was wrong, and this was not another manifestation of his madness, because it _obviously_ was, even if he didn't want to admit it just yet.

And it was only then that Gerard realized that he had stopped moving; his feet seemed frozen to the floor by an unseen force, and as much as he wanted to continue running so he could catch up to his brother and reassure him that everything was okay, he was physically incapable of controlling his body. It was as if he wasn't in a position of authority over his own limbs anymore, they had mutinied against him, leaving his ability to speak his only working function.

"I'm fine...just tired," Gerard lied, because what was he supposed to say, that he actually _couldn't_ move?

It was the truth though; Gerard literally felt as if he had been encased in ice by that crazy bitch from Frozen, and he had no idea why, because if Mikey didn't already think he was insane, that would be the final straw.

"We can take a break if you want, Belleville is only about an hour away though." Mikey and Ray jogged back toward Gerard's petrified form, but he still couldn't regain jurisdiction over himself, and it was beginning to get _really_ fucking terrifying to say the least.

"Do you need to sit down?" Ray asked calmly, and Gerard wanted to reply, but all of a sudden, he couldn't see Ray or Mikey anymore; instead, flames filled the forest they had been slowly making their way through, obscuring everything else, but no one seemed to notice except for Gerard.

"Gee?"

And with a blink of his eyes, Gerard could see Mikey again, and he was staring down at him with a worried expression. Ray had moved to stand beside Gerard, hands outstretched as if he was worried that he would fall at any moment.

"Did you see that?" Gerard exclaimed, glancing back and forth rapidly between his brother and his mate.

But by the look of confusion on both of their faces - they definitely hadn't, but the flames _had_ been there, it had seemed so _real_ , and Gerard had never hallucinated before; the dreams didn't count because he was asleep - at least, that was how he rationalized it to himself, so the fire had to be more than just a product of his imagination, or else he had finally lost his mind completely, and he didn't want that to be the case - it just _couldn't_ be.

"See what?" Ray's voice was wary as he reached out to touch Gerard's shoulder before he pulled back in surprise when Gerard flinched away from him violently.

"Ray, your hand!" Gerard shrieked, because Ray was _burning_ \- his fingers had caught fire, and it was quickly spreading to the rest of his body, but he seemed oddly nonchalant about his impending doom.

"Gee - snap out of it!" Mikey screamed, but when Gerard twisted around to face his brother, he was also on fire, oblivious to the flames that were slowly consuming him whole while he just stood there as if he wasn't being burned alive.

Gerard squeezed his eyes shut, unable to witness the two people who meant more to him than life itself being consumed by the relentless inferno, and for one blessed moment, he saw only peaceful blackness: no sizzling flesh, no grisly faces, no melting eyes and protruding bones, but all too soon, light began to penetrate the darkness, and even though Gerard's eyes were closed - he still saw it. As much as he didn't want to, he couldn't escape the sight of the crackling flames slowly coming closer and closer until they had engulfed him as well.

This was too much for Gerard, he couldn't handle this situation now that it was no longer encased in the familiar - albeit _terrifying_ \- sequence of the dream, because as horrible as his nightmare was, it never changed, and he knew somewhere deep in his mind that it wasn't really happening.

But this was all too real, and even though the logical portion of his brain was telling him this was just a vision, or a psychotic break - or _something_ , and he wasn't really dying, it sure as hell _seemed_ like he was.

Because as the flames licked their way up his trembling body, Gerard knew something was different, because this hurt so much more than it had the million and one times he had experienced it before.

Agony wasn't a good enough word to describe it - _nothing_ was, and he hadn't even been completely surrounded by the flames yet, but it still hurt so fucking bad, and he was still _fucking_ frozen.

He couldn't run away - he couldn't escape - all he could do was stand there and burn, but worst of all, he had no dark haired stranger to protect, no one to share his final moments with him, no one to attempt to save. He was alone, and in unbearable pain, and he just wanted someone to rescue him for once.

"Gerard?" Mikey's voice floated from somewhere above him - faint and ethereal, but still there, even though Gerard couldn't see him through the tears that clouded his vision.

"Mikey!" Gerard wailed pitifully, writhing on the floor in a pathetic attempt to douse the fire that was taking forever and a day to creep up his torso, and Gerard just wanted it all to be over with. He wanted to die - or at least pass out so he wouldn't have to suffer through this torment for one second longer.

" _Please_...please help me..." Gerard was sobbing now, all dignity forgotten.

Gerard didn't care if he appeared weak in front of Mikey, which showed how far gone he really was, because staying strong for his little brother was the most important thing in his life, but right now, he just couldn't fake it. The anguish of this waking dream was killing him - figuratively or literally - it didn't matter, because he couldn't stand this, and he needed his brother to make it all end one way or the other.

But Mikey didn't appear, even his voice had faded away, and Gerard was completely alone - trapped in the confines of his own mind with no hope of escape until he couldn't even scream any longer because his throat was too raw to produce any sound besides the occasional pathetic whimper.

"I'm here...shh - it's okay."

"Mikey?" But Gerard knew that whoever this was, it wasn't his brother, but this person seemed familiar too, and he wanted nothing more than to see them, to be reassured that someone cared enough to try and rescue him.

So even though it took a monumental amount of effort, Gerard cracked his lids open, refusing to look down at his own body, because he didn't want to witness the damage the fire had wreaked on his flesh. Instead, he turned his gaze upward, and he was met with a pair of hazel eyes gazing into his own. They were filled with so much love and adoration that Gerard was struck speechless; no one looked at him that way - not even Mikey, and it terrified and excited Gerard all at the same time.

As the stranger stepped closer, his features were illuminated by the flames, revealing dark hair which flopped carelessly over his forehead; the flickering light cast by the fire danced over his face, making him appear mysterious and otherworldly. Tattoos covered his arms tastefully, and even though he was lying down, Gerard could tell that he was short in stature, and that was when Gerard realized who it was that had come to find him. It was his dream boy, and this time, Gerard wasn't attempting to protect to him - _no_ , he was the savior in this round.

Gerard drank in the sight of him, for once he could observe him when he wasn't trapped underneath a dark desk obscured by shadows and smoke, and _fuck_ , he was beautiful - _stunning_ even.

And in this moment, it didn't matter to Gerard that he was a human - not even a little bit, because he had found him, and he was going to be with him in the end. His presence here right now was a miracle, even if he couldn't stop this agony, even if it was too late to rescue Gerard, at least this gorgeous man would be with him until he drew his last breath, and that made him an angel in Gerard's eyes.

"I've got you baby," he promised, stepping closer to Gerard, which also placed him in direct proximity of the hungry flames.

"No - don't!" Gerard cried out, because even worse than dying alone would be having to watch his beautiful savior die along with him.

Gerard was selfish in the way that he wanted someone to be with him right now, but not if it meant that they would die too - _especially_ not him. He couldn't die just to save Gerard, it wasn't right, he was too important to waste his life on a fuck up like Gerard.

But much to Gerard's surprise, the flames didn't touch his savior. Instead, they flowed away from him as if he controlled where they went, and he had decided that he didn't want to be bothered with their mischief right now, so they left without complaint, bringing Gerard to the conclusion that this man was the opposite of the Frozen bitch that controlled ice - fire obeyed his authority instead, leaving Gerard freed from its grasp as well. He was still in pain from the wounds they had already inflicted, but he would heal eventually, and maybe now he would have a chance to learn his savior's name.

"It's going to be okay, I promise." Gerard's savior knelt down beside his burned and ravaged body, gently pulling him into his lap, causing Gerard to let out a whimper of pain.

"Who -" Gerard tried to ask, but his smoke ravaged throat closed up on him before he could force any more words past the damaged tissue.

"Don't cry please," his savior begged, and it was only then that Gerard realized he was indeed crying. He had thought that the heat of the flames would have evaporated all traces of his previous sobs for sure, but now that he noticed, he cringed as the salty tears irritated his wounds. He wasn't exactly sure why he was crying, maybe it was the pain, or the shock of this entire situation, but whatever the reason, Gerard didn't seem to be able to stop.

Gerard's savior ran his thumb across Gerard's cheek, wiping away the tears as they fell, and every place his hand touched seemed to heal as if by magic. The blisters that had covered Gerard's skin faded away into nothing, and he breathed out a sigh of relief as some of his agony ebbed.

Gerard opened his mouth to thank him when he noticed that his savior was crying too. Silent tears made their way slowly down his face, landing in Gerard's hair as he continued to stroke any amount of exposed skin that he could reach. Bit by bit, the nasty burns were erased away as if the fire had never happened, and Gerard should have been wondering how it was possible that his savior could not only hold the power to command fire, but to heal as well, but the question never crossed his mind.

"I won't let you die, _not ever_ ," his savior whispered softly, and Gerard had no response - not a _verbal_ one at least. All he wanted to do was clutch tightly to this man and never let him go again.

"Don't leave me..." Gerard gasped out as even more of his wounds began to heal. The extreme shift from agony to relative health was mind boggling, and Gerard couldn't seem to catch his breath. That might also be caused by the gentle way this man touched him, making him feel a different kind of fire simmering in his blood.

"Never..." his savior replied, lifting his hand to trace Gerard's lips ever so softly, leaving a pleasant tingle in their wake.

And before Gerard could rethink his actions, he was grabbing his savior's head and pulling him down, crashing their lips together in a spontaneous kiss that caused the fire inside of him to erupt into an inferno.

But this burn was something that Gerard never wanted to end, it made him feel alive, blazing through his entire body until he was convinced that he was going to melt into this man's arms, and that was perfectly fine with him.

His savior kissed back eagerly, as if he had been desperate to do this since the moment he first laid eyes on Gerard, and it was hands down the best kiss of Gerard's life - not that his previous ones were much to go by.

All of those had been from the humans that he had taken blood from, because a vampire's bite released endorphins that caused the recipient to feel extreme pleasure - leaving them quite _horny_ for lack of a better word, and Gerard would be lying if he said he hadn't taken advantage of that fact. It helped that the bite also carried another venom which caused the human to have a very hazy recollection of what had happened, so he felt no guilt in leaving without a word - not that he would care if he broke some idiot human's heart.

But this was _different_ , he was kissing someone for no other reason than because he wanted to. He hadn't bitten his savior - _honestly_ , the thought hadn't even occurred to him, and although he could smell his savior's blood pumping through his small frame, he was much more interested in the sensation of his lips on his own, and feeding took a back seat to this - _fuck_ \- everything did.

All of a sudden, Gerard was being shaken, and without warning, his eyes flew open and everything began to blur. Even the feeling of his savor's arms around him felt less substantial, as if he was now a ghost, fading away into whatever realm he had sprung from.

"Please don't go..." Gerard sobbed brokenly, but before his eyes, his savior was disappearing into the recesses of his mind, leaving Gerard aching and empty, desperate for more of this strange man.

And even though Gerard could still taste him on his tongue - it wasn't _enough_. He needed him back, he hadn't even had a chance to ask him his name, or how he had found him, or why he cared so much about Gerard.

"I will be waiting for you..." His voice drifted to Gerard as if from a great distance, but he still heard him, and then he was opening his eyes - _for real_ this time, and he had to come to grips with the fact that he had been dreaming, or hallucinating, or _whatever_ , but as soon as he returned to full consciousness, he instantly forgot what he had been seeing in the first place.

"Fuck Gerard - you scared me..." Mikey heaved out, and that was when Gerard realized he was back in the forest with Mikey and Ray kneeling above him since apparently he was now lying on his back, awkwardly sprawled out across the leaves and twigs which littered the ground.

"What happened?" Gerard asked groggily. The last thing he remembered was running through the shadows, each step bringing them closer to their destination - then _nothing_.

"We aren't sure, you just collapsed out of nowhere, and then you started screaming..." Ray explained in a gentle voice, as if Gerard was a small child and this needed to be worded delicately so he wouldn't panic.

Gerard tried to remember, but it was so difficult, like sifting through a giant pile of rocks, trying to reach a certain one at the bottom that stubbornly refused to be unearthed.

"I stopped running, I couldn't move for some reason...and then there was fire, you were both burning, but you didn't notice," Gerard spoke slowly, attempting to filter through the hazy memories that were flashing across his mind briefly before dissipating into the back of his fucked up head.

"Fire...like in the dream?" Mikey wondered, and Gerard nodded in confirmation.

"But I wasn't dreaming...I was awake..." Gerard whispered softly.

"That means it's getting worse," Ray confirmed Gerard's thoughts. He hadn't wanted to say it aloud, but now that it was hanging in the air between them, he couldn't deny it.

"I'm fine," Gerard tried to convince them as he pulled himself to his feet, wincing slightly as his body protested his movements, his muscles aching with an unknown phantom pain.

And Gerard knew he was lying, he was aware that whatever this was - it was really _fucking_ bad, and by the look on Mikey's face, he wasn't blinded by his deception either. Gerard didn't expect anyone to believe him, but Gerard wanted to be okay, so he chose to lie to himself as well, which wasn't too difficult to do since whatever had happened was hazy at best, unlike when he had actually had the dream. Then, everything was crystal clear, he couldn't forget those memories even if he wanted to, but whatever this new vision was, it was gone like a cloud of smoke in the wind.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Mikey sniffled, causing Gerard to pull him into a brotherly hug.

"I'm not going anywhere Mikes, I promise." Gerard held his brother tightly as his body trembled, and he could physically feel the aura of terror that Mikey was emitting. He was assaulted with a wave of guilt for worrying him, but that was all he seemed to be able to do lately.

"Can you promise me something else?" Mikey popped the question warily, as if he was nervous of the answer, pulling away from Gerard's embrace so he could stare him straight in the eye.

"What's that?"

"Can you _please_ feed tonight, maybe it will help with... _whatever_ just happened."

"I will, as long as Ray takes you out as well. You need to eat too."

"We are going with you," Ray crossed his arms and attempted to look intimidating, but with his soft face and his ridiculous hair, it wasn't really working for him.

"You know I don't like company when I feed," Gerard sighed, because he really didn't. It was too distracting having his brother around, because when he drank, he lost himself in the pleasure of the blood running down his throat, sometimes he indulged in other pleasures as well, and no one wanted their little brother around to witness that.

"No arguments, you just fucking collapsed for no reason, we aren't letting you go out by yourself in a strange city alone." Gerard knew it was pointless to argue when Ray got that stubborn glint in his eye, because Ray didn't put up a fight about much, but when he did, he wouldn't back down until he got his way.

"Ugh _fine_...but just this once okay?" Gerard bartered hopefully. He wouldn't be able to stand it if his brother and Ray demanded to accompany him every time he was hungry.

"Deal." Ray grinned triumphantly.

"Can you make it the rest of the way? It's not far now." Mikey eyed Gerard up and down worriedly, but he did seem better already. Whatever had plagued him minutes earlier was a thing of the past now, and he was determined to carry on the facade of his wellbeing for Mikey's sake - if not his own.

Gerard nodded his head, showing his willingness to continue, and then they were off again, running as if nothing had just occurred.

Gerard was just thankful that they hadn't pressed him any further on what had happened, because he really didn't know, and he was kind of okay with that. He already had enough to worry about now that he could apparently collapse at any moment, so he didn't need any more manifestations to plague his already fucked up mind.

As they continued to thread their way through the shadowy forest, flickers of the vision popped up now and then, and even though Gerard wasn't desperate to remember, he absorbed each scene carefully before they were lost again. Finally, his curiosity overcame his fear of what he had witnessed, and he started with what he could recall, tracing the images as if they were a string leading him to some unknown destination that he was not aware of.

Most of it was just fire, that was how it had started; the forest had appeared to be burning, then Mikey and Ray, then himself, then it was all just blistering agony - until...until it _stopped_...why had it stopped?

As much as Gerard strained his mind, all he could bring to the surface was a feeling of arms wrapping around his body, that and a _kiss_ , a pair of lips pressed against his own, the sparks that were created at their union more powerful than the most intense blaze in the world.

But when he tried to force more of the memory into the light, it fought him tooth and nail, like a spiteful cat that refused to be coaxed out from under the bed, no matter how hard he pried. He tried everything he could think of to force his brain to release this memory, because he was desperate to know who was kissing him with such passion, whose arms were surrounding him in such a protective embrace that all the horrors of the vision had faded away into nothingness.

Unfortunately, that was all Gerard could recall, and he sighed in despair as he came to accept that the identity of this person would remain a mystery for now at least, even though he was aching to discover who could evoke such fervent emotions in his shell of a body, but of course, the one thing he was dying to know was the single image his brain refused to cough up.

But even more important was the fact that the dream was leaking into every aspect of Gerard's life now, and worse than that - it was _changing_ , and this new unpredictably was fucking with him. Even with the pleasant addition of the kiss, it was more of an annoyance if he couldn't remember who it was and how he had ended up being kissed in the first place. Wasn't being tortured by the dream almost every night enough?

Gerard wasn't sure, but it seemed that he continued to see flashes of flame from the corner of his eye as he maintained his loping pace, but he refused to turn his head and look. He didn't want to know if they were there or not, because he couldn't afford to become so weak now that they were almost to their final destination. He just had to make it a few more hours, and then he could rest and feed, and hopefully that would help him restore some sense of normality to his fucked up life.

But the closer they drew to Belleville, the more consistent the hallucinations became until Gerard was gritting his teeth as he ran, slitting his eyes as tightly as possible to the point that he could barely see where he was going, using Ray's curly head of hair as a beacon to guide him through the treacherous forest, but he also couldn't see the fire that seemed to be chasing them - enveloping the forest in its reckless pursuit of Gerard, leaving blackened trees in its wake.

Gerard began to wonder if he would make it to their destination before he lost his mind completely, because at this rate, he wasn't going to last another five minutes - much less an _hour_ , but he refused to speak up. He couldn't inform Mikey how close he was to being swallowed by his insanity, so he ignored it; he was getting quite good at that particular skill, because that was the only defense he had left, so he simply quickened his pace, trying to outdistance his oncoming madness for just a little while longer.


	7. Gerard's Two Least Favorite Assholes

It felt strange to be surrounded by buildings instead of trees, but it was a pleasant change, made even more agreeable by the noticeable lack of any sort of crazy visions, which allowed Gerard to breathe a sigh of relief, because he had made it, and he wasn't dead ( _yet_ ) - or insane, and hopefully it would stay that way for the foreseeable future.

"You doing okay?" Mikey pressed gently, and for once, Gerard didn't have to lie, because when he nodded in acknowledgment, he actually meant the gesture.

It was as if the second he had stepped into Belleville, he had entered the eye of the storm that was his madness - either that, or his brain had decided to shut down for a bit, but whatever the case might be - Gerard wasn't complaining, because he didn't really care about the reasoning behind this. All he knew was that he felt _fucking_ fantastic, and the fact that he could walk on his own now without Ray having to support his faltering steps was a bonus he did not overlook.

The journey here hadn't been easy, and Gerard had been doubting his ability to make it at all towards the end, but now they were actually here, and even though he still wasn't one hundred percent convinced that they would find the fabled coven they had traveled so far in search of, he decided not to dwell on it.

Because they were okay, and they were _alive_ , and something about the ambiance in this town seemed welcoming. Gerard hadn't felt this way since they had been driven from their home all those years ago, so he was going to enjoy it without focusing on anything negative for two minutes.

That wasn't to say Belleville was anything like London, which was where Gerard and Mikey had spent the majority of their childhood. It was much less populated for one; London never seemed to sleep, while this town had a slightly abandoned aura to it, as if the residents had all disappeared for the night - either that, or they were too afraid to show their faces in the darkness. Still, something about this place drew Gerard to it, like he was _supposed_ to be here, and that sense of belonging gave Gerard hope that maybe he would find a home in this cozy city after all.

The three of them actually stuck out like a sore thumb, being the only living creatures walking the deserted streets did automatically make them a point of interest, coupled with the fact that they were carrying small packs with them which basically screamed the fact that they weren't from around here - or that they were homeless, and they could probably pull off the hobo chic look. None of them had showered in far too long, and the trip through the forest hadn't helped their appearances any.

Currently they were searching for the seedier side of town, every city had one; the street filled with bars and clubs that stayed open until ungodly hours, populated with the people who came alive at night, content to waste their lives away with drugs and alcohol, making them easy prey for the hungry vampires.

This was how they always hunted, because these citizens wouldn't question a strange bite mark on their neck in the morning. They would brush it off as an over-eager lover, and the fact that they couldn't recall it happening could be easily explained by having too much to drink, leaving no trail for anyone to trace back to the three boys.

But Gerard was uneasy about feeding tonight, he liked to scope out the town first, because it was always safer to observe before acting. He wanted to be aware of the ebb and flow of the night life before he threw himself into a potentially dangerous situation, but Mikey had been adamant that Gerard follow through on his promise, so he really had no choice in the matter, despite his misgivings.

And the sooner they were done with this, the quicker they could find a place to sleep the day away, because so far their only option was a rickety old church they had passed on their way into town, and Gerard was not looking forward to using rotting pews as a bed - especially not after he had been spoiled last night with an honest to god mattress.

A two story white house drew Gerard's eye as they passed. A large sign dominated the front yard, stating that this was in fact not a home, but the Iero Veterinary Clinic, which shouldn't have interested him at all, but for some unexplained reason, Gerard found himself craning his neck to stare back at it until he was forced to turn a corner - losing sight of it completely.

"Where is everyone...this place is a ghost town," Ray muttered under his breath, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as Mikey debated over which street to head down next.

"I don't know...I had heard that this was small city, but somebody should be out, it's barely even midnight." Mikey sounded puzzled, which wasn't something he expressed often. He was always so sure of himself, but Gerard could tell by the way he was gnawing on his bottom lip that Mikey was just as thrown off by this as Ray was.

"We are still in the suburban area, I am sure when we get closer to the center of the city we will find more people." Gerard tried to think positively for once - that was usually Mikey's job, but the more he really observed the silent neighborhood they were currently in, the more oddities he began to notice.

Not one light was shining throughout the entire street - and _yes_ , it was late, but unless this town was inhabited entirely by the elderly, someone should be up and about, studying for an exam tomorrow, or getting a midnight snack. Now that he was thinking of it, Gerard realized that the whole time they had been walking, he hadn't heard a single car drive past, not even a dog had barked, and given the vet clinic they had just passed, they should have heard something of the sort.

"I don't like the feel of this town," Ray whispered under his breath, and Gerard had to agree. The homey aura he had been experiencing earlier had dissipated entirely, leaving behind a growing sense of unease that was getting worse by the second.

"Are you sure the coven is here Mikey?" Gerard questioned his brother who had started walking again in a random direction just to give himself something to do besides stand there and panic over what was probably nothing.

"It has to be, the hunters didn't know I was listening to their conversation, and they had no reason to lie." Mikey shook his head stubbornly, and as much as Gerard didn't want to doubt his brother, he just couldn't see how an entire coven of vampires would be able to survive here, especially with the lack of readily available humans to drink from.

"Wait...do you hear that?" Ray stopped in his tracks, forcing Mikey and Gerard to follow suit.

And they _did_ , because it was unmistakable now that they had ceased to speak, allowing them to use their sharp ears to their full advantage, and the sound of booted footsteps drawing closer to them was impossible to ignore.

"I think we should hide," Gerard hissed out as quietly as he could while still making sure that Mikey and Ray could understand him, because he was suddenly very afraid, even though he couldn't explain why. It was probably just some angsty teenagers that had snuck out of the house to smoke pot, and the possibility of whoever it was being a real threat to them was slim to none, but Gerard had learned to trust his instincts over the years, and right now, they were telling him to get the _fuck_ out of there.

"Where?" Mikey mouthed back, gesturing around with his hands to show that they were in the middle of a wide intersection with only tall buildings which were connected to each other on all sides surrounding them, leaving no nooks and crannies in which three people could use to stow themselves away.

Ray pointed to a nearby set of stairs which led up to what was apparently a law office. It wasn't the _best_ hiding place in the world, but it was heavily cloaked in shadows, and it would have to do for now, because the footsteps were growing ever nearer.

The three vampires scrambled up the steps silently, crouching down in the darkness as best they could, and it occurred to Gerard that this entire situation was _fucking_ ridiculous. Humans should be cowering from them - not the other way around, but this is what the proud race of vampires had been reduced to, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry at the moment, but honestly, it was a little bit of both.

It wasn't long before the wearers of the boots became visible, and Gerard had to bite down on his bottom lip so hard that he drew blood to stifle a gasp, because he recognized the two assholes who were strolling down the street like they fucking owned the place, and they were the last people he wanted to see right now. _Seriously_ , he would have picked Satan over these two, and he wasn't even joking.

Gerard shifted slightly, making sure Mikey was completely hidden behind him, and he knew by the widening of his little brother's eyes that he had realized who they were too, and he was _fucking_ terrified to say the least - for good reason.

Because these weren't a pair of troubled adolescents, these were _hunters_ \- and not just any hunters, these were the best that humanity had in the fight against vampires, and it was just Gerard's luck that he would run into them - not once, but _twice_.

The first encounter he had with them had been less than a year ago, somewhere in Michigan - Gerard couldn't really remember where - not that it mattered anyway. He and Mikey had gone out to a grocery store to steal some food for the night, leaving Ray behind because of a recently twisted ankle that hadn't healed very well because he hadn't eaten in quite some time.

Gerard hated the necessary theft, but it wasn't like they could actually get a job to earn money so they could purchase things legally. Most interviews were conducted during the day time, leaving them out of luck when it came to honorable employment.

Everything had been going smoothly; they escaped from the corner store with ease, the teller didn't even attempt to stop them besides yelling that they were _"seriously fucked up"_ as they bolted out the door. When they had stopped in a dark alley to rearrange the goods and catch their breath was when everything had gone south rather quickly. The two hunters appeared as if from nowhere, and at first, it seemed that they had only been intent on stopping them for the minor crime of shoplifting.

_"Hey assholes! Didn't your mom ever tell you stealing is wrong?" the taller one had yelled out, acting like he was a fucking cop or something, even though it was obvious by his faded flannel shirt and blue jeans that he had never been on the force, unless they had made a sudden change in uniform that Gerard wasn't aware of._

_"Leave us alone," Mikey warned them in an eerily calm voice, because at the time, neither of the vampires had been aware of the fact that these were hunters that they were facing. It appeared to be just two do-gooders with sticks up their asses who had a bad habit of poking their noses in things that didn't concern them._

_"Listen kid -" the shorter of the two caught up with the longer strides of his friend, sticking his finger under Mikey's nose like a lecturing grandmother._

_"Don't call me kid," Mikey scoffed, causing Gerard to emit a short giggle, because it was really quite laughable. Mikey probably had a good hundred years on this idiot - he just didn't know it, and the only reason Mikey was even bothering to speak to him was because they had blocked their only escape route out of the alley, and neither brother was a fan of killing unless it became absolutely necessary._

_"Look, I have had a really fucked up night, and that shop keeper happens to be a friend of mine, so you two assholes are going to give back the shit that you stole right now, or I will have to make you."_

_Gerard's eyes basically popped out of his sockets when the short man pulled out a silver pistol, pointing it in Mikey's direction threateningly, but it wasn't the sight of the gun itself that had him staring; the safety was still on anyway, and Mikey could move out of range in plenty of time before he switched it off._

_No - it was the insignia that it carried, the cursive H with a sword creating the left side of the letter, a drop of blood hanging from the tip that had Gerard gawking at it like he had never seen a handgun before, because that was the sign of a hunter, and by the mass amounts of engraving which decorated the weapon, this man was very high ranking. Racking up an extraordinary number of vampire kills was the only way to earn such a gorgeous piece, which meant that Mikey and Gerard were fucked - figuratively at least._

_"Dean - you aren't seriously going to shoot these kids..." the tall one sighed out, as if this was a common occurrence, which it probably was based on the temper this Dean guy had._

_Mikey recoiled slightly when he caught sight of the side of the weapon, baring his teeth in anger at the accursed symbol. This action of course revealed his rapidly growing fangs, and from that second on, everything went to complete shit, because the two morons were actually quite proficient hunters, and only the fact that they had been caught off guard allowed Mikey and Gerard to escape mostly unscathed -_ _not counting_ _the bullet that had grazed Mikey's arm as they ran that is._

They had later learned - mostly from overhearing other hunters speak so highly of these two, because even though vampire covens were hard to find, the supposedly secret meetings of The Hunters were not, which was the only way that Mikey and Gerard knew half as much as they did about where to search for vampire covens, and Gerard would love to see the looks on their faces if they ever found out that vampires were listening in on them - that the two men they had run into were the fabled Sam and Dean Winchester. They were basically _prodigies_ in the world of The Hunters, two brothers that had more vampire kills under their belts than some seasoned veterans.

And it was just Gerard's luck that they happened to be here in Belleville at the same time that he was, and the only good thing about this so far was that they hadn't noticed the three vampires concealed in front of the inconspicuous looking law building because they were too busy arguing over something, and hopefully it would stay that way.

Gerard strained his ears to pick up on their muffled words, because if they were here, then maybe the coven was as well, and even though it was highly unlikely, they might just let slip the location - if they even knew it.

"Is this really necessary? I mean - a _fucking_ curfew for the entire town, all for what is probably just one crazy vamp?" the shorter one, who Gerard had learned was Dean from their last encounter, grumbled sullenly.

"Why are you complaining? It's saving people's _lives_ Dean," the taller one, who Gerard deduced had to be Sam, retorted bitterly.

"Because it makes it really _fucking_ hard to find this blood sucker, he isn't going to come out if there is no food around, so we are just wasting our time. For all we know, he has probably moved to another city by now - I know I would," Dean sighed loudly.

Of course, they stopped walking directly across the street from the building the three vampires were currently crouching in front of, but they still hadn't spotted them, and it seemed as if they were looking for another vampire entirely - a rogue by the sound of it.

But rogues were usually quite easy to locate; they didn't think strategically, so it should have been a simple matter for two hunters of their caliber to pick them off, leaving Gerard to wonder what cluster fuck he had walked into when he entered this town.

"Well do you want to go tell that to the chief of police, because when they lift the curfew and he kills again, I am pinning it all on _you_." Sam stared down at his brother with what Gerard could only assume was a harsh glare.

"Well do you see any vamp, because I don't?" Dean spread his arms out wide, causing Gerard to flinch slightly, because if these two imbeciles actually searched around a bit more carefully instead of running their mouths, they would find three vampires in very close proximity - not that Gerard wanted that to happen.

"I told you, I heard something over here," Sam continued to argue with Dean, but Gerard tuned them out, because it was obvious they weren't here searching for the coven, so their petty squabbling was unimportant.

"Listen up, when I count to three, you two are going to make a run for it," Gerard whispered out in a hushed tone of voice, too quietly for Sam and Dean to pick up on, but Ray and Mikey had no problem hearing him.

"No..." Mikey hissed back, but Gerard refused to let his brother and Ray fall into harm's way. The hunters still hadn't moved, and by the turn their conversation had taken, they were debating on canvassing the buildings now, so their hiding place wasn't going to remain secret for much longer.

"Head for that church we passed earlier, I will distract the hunters and meet you there." Mikey was shaking his head as vehemently as he could without giving away his position, but Ray simply nodded once, showing his understanding of why Gerard was doing this. Even if he didn't agree with him, arguing about it would just get them all killed at this point, so they didn't really have that many options, and Ray at least seemed to realize that.

"Okay, we will wait there for three days, if you haven't shown up by then - _well_..." Ray trailed off, not wanting to say what everyone was thinking. Gerard pointedly ignored the death glare Mikey was currently shooting him, because this situation was _fucked_ no matter what they did, but he knew they would have a better chance of survival this way, and he had to place his faith in his impromptu plan right now before things took a turn for the worst.

"Take care of Mikey, don't let him follow me." Gerard clasped Ray on the shoulder, needing the reassurance that his brother wouldn't go on some stupid suicide mission in an unnecessary attempt to save Gerard.

"I will," Ray choked on a sob which Gerard felt resonating within his own throat, because this could be the last time he saw Ray or Mikey alive, and that really _fucking_ sucked, but Gerard knew he could trust him with his little brother's safety, and hopefully everything would go perfectly and they would be reunited before the sun rose.

He was simply going to distract the hunters until Mikey and Ray could escape undetected. He had no intentions of facing them in some stupid battle to the death, because Gerard really didn't want to die - not now that he was just starting to feel slightly alive again.

As risky as his chosen course of action was, Gerard didn't have a choice in the matter, not if he wanted to keep breathing that is, because the hunters were drawing closer to their hiding place, and they had flashlights out now, so all it would take was one pass with a torch before their position was blown. Gerard had learned from previous experiences that making the first move might be the tipping factor that would save his ass, so that was what he was going to do.

Gerard held up three fingers, making sure Ray and Mikey could see them clearly before slowly lowering one digit at a time until his hand was clenched in a fist, and that was when he threw himself over the steps and directly into the hunters line of sight, relishing in the look of utter astonishment that graced both of their faces before taking off down the adjacent street as fast as his feet could carry him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gerard witnessed Mikey and Ray silently darting in the other direction, and the startled brothers were focused only on Gerard's retreating figure, so they hadn't noticed the other two vampires break for safety - thank _fuck_ for that.

"What the _hell?_ Where did he come from?" Gerard heard Sam pant out, a grin splitting his face as the words reached his ear, because even the two best hunters in the world hadn't noticed three vampires basically camped out across from them, and Gerard loved nothing more than messing with these sick bastards heads - well _almost_ nothing: food, sleep, and sex ranked slightly higher now that he really thought about it, but that was beside the point.

"Less talking...more chasing," Dean huffed loudly, but even though the hunters put on a burst of speed, Gerard had gotten a considerable head start on his two least favorite assholes, and the odds of them overtaking him were pretty low.

But of course, the hunters realized that catching Gerard on foot was a futile effort, so they did what they probably should have done in the first place, which was to pull out their guns, and soon Gerard was dodging their fire as best as he was able to. Vampire reflexes were significantly faster than humans, but they weren't from the Matrix, and they definitely couldn't evade bullets like Neo, even though Gerard really wished that he could right now.

He had already been hit twice, his thigh was grazed and there was a slug firmly embedded in his arm, and if Gerard was healthy and well fed, he would have been able to brush these injuries off like they were annoying flies. He was pretty much the opposite of a picture of health though, and he already felt himself slowing down because of blood loss. If this stupid fucking street didn't curve soon, he was going to be dead, because so far it had continued on straight ahead, leaving him no opportunities to branch away from his pursuers, making him an easy target in the process.

"He's hit Dean! Aim for the head, we have to bring this fucker down!"

Gerard bared his teeth at the hunters, but they were too far behind him to make a lunge for their throats a possibility. They would gun him down before he got within arm's reach of them, and Gerard was really beginning to panic now, because he didn't see any way out of this fucked up mess he had gotten himself into. Maybe he had been just a bit too cocky when he thought this plan out originally, but he couldn't take his actions back, so he would just have to deal with his own stupidity and figure out how to not die as quickly as possible.

The sound of running water drew his ears, and Gerard forced himself to keep moving, even though every step sent shocks of pain through his wounded leg and his arm felt like it was about to fall off at any moment. He was rewarded with the sight of a small overpass dead ahead, and underneath it, a fast moving river bubbled away cheerily.

Gerard climbed up on the railing, hampered by his wounds - which gave the hunters the perfect opportunity to aim at their target without him being able to run away. As Gerard threw himself into the frigid water, a bullet found its mark, tearing its way through his chest angrily and just narrowly missing his heart, but still doing enough damage to seriously incapacitate the vampire.

Gerard screamed in agony despite his best intentions to stay silent. His entire body felt like it was on fire, and at the same time, the icy water was freezing him - which were two very conflicting, but equally painful sensations that were _really_ fucking with Gerard's body, and because he had opened his mouth, his lungs were now soaked by the dirty river, making him feel like he was suffocating as well, which were pretty much the three worst things to be feeling - especially all at the same time.

It was all too much for Gerard's battered frame to handle - he had a high pain tolerance, but this torment was off the charts, and it took every ounce of strength he possessed to push his way to the surface to expel the unwanted liquid from his lungs in hacking coughs, which intensified the ache in his chest tenfold.

Gerard's vision began blurring at the edges, but he fought the approaching blackness with everything he had, because if he passed out, he was _dead_. Even if the hunters didn't find him, he would drown if he lost consciousness, and he couldn't let that happen. He refused to leave Mikey - not like this, but _fuck_ \- everything hurt, and Gerard didn't know how he was going to save himself this time. All he knew was that he wasn't ready to give up - _not yet_...

The cold temperature of the water stifled some of his blood loss - not _enough_ , but Gerard was still semi-coherent. He had to replenish his supply soon or he wasn't going to stay that way for long, so he heaved himself out the rushing river, crying out noisily as his leg gave way underneath him. He had almost forgotten about the wound in his thigh, the gaping hole in his chest had taken precedence over everything else, and Gerard knew he had minutes - _if that_ , to find a human to feed off of.

He had no idea where he was, but it honestly didn't matter, so Gerard dragged himself along the ground unceremoniously, his black trench coat leaving a trail of water behind him which would give his position away instantly if the hunters had followed him this far, but he had to face one problem at a time, and getting blood was priority number one, which meant Gerard was going to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous, but he was already dying, so how much worse could it get - _right?_

A wire fence blocked Gerard's onward motion, and he was too exhausted to crawl around it, because he had no idea how far it extended, and he would probably pass out before he made it halfway - if he was lucky, so he used the last of his failing strength to rip away the bottom of the offending obstacle. As he inched forward onto the soft grass, Gerard released a grateful sigh; not only was it a much less painful surface than the unforgiving pavement, it would also absorb the water from his recent tumble in the river, hopefully making it that much harder for the hunters to track him down.

Stopping at the first door that graced his failing vision, Gerard raised his blue tinged hand and knocked as hard as he could, but it came out as more of a pathetic thump, illustrating how weak Gerard really was. When he received no response, Gerard kept trying, throwing all of his weight behind his clenched fist, mentally begging whoever lived here to _wake the fuck up_. He didn't have the strength to make it another foot in his condition, and if someone didn't come down soon, they were going to find a dead body on their front porch in the morning - _actually_ , he would have turned into ash by then, depending on if the sun had risen by the time they woke up.

And just when Gerard had given up hope, letting out a broken sob as he bashed his bleeding shoulder against the door in a pitiful attempt at breaking it down, he heard movement inside the house, and then someone was turning the knob, bathing Gerard's slumped frame in a pool of welcoming light.

But they had come too late, because Gerard's head was already falling, his neck too weak to support it anymore, and he couldn't even focus on whoever it was that had come to his rescue. Instead, he found himself staring at the starry sky before his skull hit the pavement with a resounding crack, causing him to lose his grip on consciousness entirely.


	8. All The Cute Ones Are Either Taken Or Psychotic Killers

Frank Iero couldn't sleep, and it was _really_ pissing him off. He had been fucking exhausted earlier, but apparently his body had decided that two hours of shut eye was all he was going to get, but that wasn't okay with Frank.

He had work in the morning, and it wasn't like he could call in - not when he _owned_ the clinic, so he was lying in bed with his eyes squeezed shut, hoping that he would eventually drift off again.

But his mind just wouldn't shut down, no matter how hard he tried to empty it, and he couldn't shake this nagging feeling that he had forgotten to do something vitally important - or that he was needed somewhere, but no matter how thoroughly he wracked his brain, he continued to come up with absolutely nothing that could be keeping him up.

Heaving a loud sigh, Frank decided to check downstairs; maybe he had neglected to shut off a light, even though he really doubted that something as simple as that would be enough to keep him from his peaceful slumber, but it didn't hurt to be safe.

But after carefully examining every item that he could think of - from the x-ray machine to the _freaking_ toaster - Frank gave up on that idea, because everything was in perfect order, just like always. Frank was very meticulous when it came to his clinic.

Even after Frank resettled himself in his bed, reassured that nothing was going to catch on fire because he had left it plugged in, he was still wide awake, which really _fucking_ sucked.

And for the first time since it had been enacted, Frank realized that he hated this stupid curfew that had been put in place, because if it wasn't in effect, he could text Evan and step out for a quick drink. That guy was always up at all hours of the night - Frank swore he was nocturnal or something, but as long as this serial killer was on the loose, Frank was trapped inside his home after midnight unless he wanted to risk getting escorted home by the police, and he wasn't that desperate for a beer - not _tonight_ anyway.

So Frank resorted to the next best thing, which was to flip on the old television in his living room and watch Criminal Minds reruns until he drifted off again. That didn't work out as well as he had hoped, because this show was his guilty pleasure, and even though he had seen the current episode numerous times before, he found himself immersed in the program and even more awake than he had been previously.

Just when his eyelids were beginning to feel heavy, and Frank had decided to turn off the television before the next episode could start and capture his attention again, a soft thump caught his ear. Frank had only heard it because of the silence that had previously been filled by Doctor Reid and Agent Morgan's voices as they shared a touching moment together, and although Frank was tempted to ignore it, he knew he wouldn't be able to shut his eyes until he discovered what had caused it.

Typically after watching Criminal Minds for an hour, Frank would be slightly apprehensive about investigating a strange sound in his supposedly empty house, but Frank wasn't feeling particularly threatened at the moment. It was probably just the nameless dog that Brendon and Ryan had brought in shifting around in his cage, but when the disturbance was repeated, Frank decided to go downstairs and check - just in case the dog was in pain.

But when he reached the kennels, he found all of the animals to be fast asleep. They didn't even stir when he flipped on the harsh overhead light, so they obviously hadn't been the source of the odd bump he had heard, and now Frank was starting to get a little bit antsy.

When the pounding came again, Frank jumped about a foot in the air, because that was definitely coming from outside the clinic. Someone was on his back porch - which was suspicious in itself, because no one used that door except for him. It led out to his sizeable yard, which he let the dogs roam in during the day, and the entire expanse of grass was surrounded by a wire fence, so no one should have been able to access that entrance.

Then he heard an utterance that caused all of his paranoid thoughts to exit his mind rapidly, and a rush of compassion swelled up to take its place, because someone was crying as they knocked - _sobbing_ actually, and the thumping was much weaker this time, as if whoever it was had lost the strength to make even such a simple action. Frank was much too kindhearted for his own good, which caused him to throw open the door without any thought for his own safety.

And the sight he was met with caused his breath to catch in his chest, because a strange man was slumped against his doorstep, and even though he was obviously in pain and covered in blood, Frank was blown away by how beautiful he was.

That wasn't a term he commonly used to describe anyone, but this man fit the word; everything from his hazel eyes with his lashes damp from tears to his sharp cheekbones and his black hair which grazed his chin were perfect, and Frank found himself paralyzed for the moment while he drank in the sight of him.

Frank was so distracted by the stranger's remarkable good looks that he failed to notice the fact that he was swaying from side to side, and he was too slow to catch him before he collapsed onto his front porch in a heap, hitting his head painfully against the concrete. Frank winced when he thought of the bruise that would surely form on his temple, but that was the least of his worries if the rapidly growing pool of blood seeping out from under him was any indication.

Any marginally sane person would have slammed the door in this guy's face before calling the police, but Frank had never been able to turn away anyone in need. He could tell just by looking at him that he wouldn't survive long enough for an ambulance to arrive unless Frank managed to stop the bleeding, and luckily for this stranger, he was a vet, because humans and animals weren't actually _that_ different, especially not when it came to stitching them up.

And even though Frank was extremely compassionate by default, he would be lying if he didn't admit to the fact that it was partially due to his attraction to this man that he was going out of his way to help him. He probably would not have reacted in such an altruistic manner if the person he had found bleeding out on his front porch had been a four hundred pound man with a bald spot, but Frank was human, and all of them were shallow, even if they vehemently denied it.

So Frank placed his hands under the stranger's shoulders, heaving him to his feet as gently as possible. He was much lighter than Frank had expected him to be, and it was a simple matter to lead him inside, resting most of his insubstantial weight against his chest.

Frank was silently congratulating himself on his choice of not putting on a shirt before he went to investigate the noise, because if he had, it would have been permanently stained with blood by now, and his cotton pajama pants were definitely going in the trash after this.

The nameless man groaned softly as Frank laid him across the operating table that was much more used to having a dog on top of it, but it still managed to fit a human being quite nicely. Moving quickly, Frank pulled out everything he thought he was going to need including gauze, thread, a needle, scissors, and tweezers.

Frank rapidly cut away the stranger's sopping shirt, which wasn't only wet with blood, but water as well. His trench coat was also dripping, but Frank simply removed it so he wouldn't ruin such a nice jacket. It wasn't raining, so Frank was thoroughly confused by the drenched state of this man's clothing, but he didn't have time to ponder it now.

The fabric had been hiding a large gunshot wound, and Frank was suddenly unsure about his ability to treat this man after all; this was much more serious than anything he had ever dealt with before, but he had to try, or else this man was going to die before Frank's very eyes.

With a steady hand, Frank wiped away as much of the blood coating the stranger's torso as he could, trying to recall everything he had learned in the trauma class he had taken in which they had all volunteered to treat wounded K-9 dogs, one of which had a gunshot wound in his thigh. He knew that he had to take the bullet out before he began stitching, which was going to involve a lot of pain for this poor soul unfortunately.

As Frank gently prodded the area, trying to determine how deep the bullet had penetrated the flesh, he was becoming seriously concerned about the icy temperate of the stranger's skin, which he correctly assumed had been brought on by massive blood loss and the soaked state of his clothing - not because he was a _vampire_.

Even if Frank had been aware of that particular fact - which he most definitely _wasn't_ \- vampires were not naturally cold to the touch, because they weren't undead creatures out of legend, but actual living breathing beings, who were typically quite warm under normal circumstances, but Frank was still under the impression that vampires did not exist - at least for a few more minutes anyway.

Frank quickly discovered the bullet which had lodged itself in the stranger's sternum, and before he could rethink his decision to play doctor for the night, Frank dug into the wound with the tweezers that were clutched tightly in his hand, removing the projectile as gently as possible. The nameless man seemed to be completely unconscious at this point - which was probably a good thing, otherwise he would have been in an inordinate amount of agony.

Frank pressed a towel over the freshly opened bullet hole to staunch the blood flow while fumbling for his needle and thread, because this man couldn't afford to lose any more blood than he already had, and Frank was aware that every second counted in the fight for his life.

And even though his hands were shaking, Frank managed to stitch him up quite nicely, moving on to his arm and thigh once the most serious injury had been dealt with. Frank really thought he deserved at least a pat on the back for this, because he was just a veterinarian, but he made a pretty awesome makeshift doctor if he did say so himself.

But now that he had done everything in his power, it was time to turn things over to the professionals. Frank quickly washed his hands in the conveniently placed sink, because he really didn't want to ruin anything else with blood tonight before reaching for the wall phone so he could call an ambulance.

"Please don't..." a soft voice groaned out, causing Frank to drop the device in fright before he even dialed the number.

There was no _fucking_ way that the stranger was already conscious - not after the amount of trauma his body had just been put through, but when Frank glanced over to the stainless steel table, the nameless man's hazel eyes were wide open, and he was attempting to push himself up into a sitting position.

"Oh my god - don't do that...lie down okay? You are going to tear your stitches." Frank completely forgot about calling the authorities, instead he chose to focus on getting this idiot to stop moving before he ruined all of Frank's hard work.

"Did you...close my wounds?" the stranger gasped. Each breath was obviously painful for him, but a tiny bit of color was returning to his face, which Frank examined closely to watch for any telltale signs that he was about to pass out again.

In doing so, Frank realized that he had never seen this man before in Belleville, which was the second time that had happened to him in just as many days, and it was really starting to freak Frank out. Hot dudes didn't just pop out of the ground like daisies, but how else was he supposed to explain the random encounters that he seemed to keep finding himself in.

"Uh yeah - I did..." Frank continued to stare at the man while digging through his memory banks, trying to recall any instance in which he might have seen him, even though he would have remembered running into someone as pretty as this.

In a way, he seemed slightly familiar, and not in the sense that Frank had met him before. He just felt comfortable around him, and Frank wasn't the best with strangers - being sort of anti-social himself unless he was at work, but this man put him at ease, even though a guy riddled with bullet holes should do the exact opposite. Apparently Frank's self-preservation instincts still hadn't kicked in yet, but it didn't really matter now - it was pretty much too late for him anyway, he just didn't know that yet.

"Did you call anyone?" the man asked briskly, glancing down at the discarded phone to emphasize his point. Frank just stared at him blankly for a moment, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that this guy was already mostly functioning after recently being shot multiple times, and then undergoing a shoddy procedure that should have rendered him unconscious for hours - if not _dead_.

"No - not yet...but you need to get to a hospital. I'm not really a doctor, and I might have fucked up something, that chest wound was really deep, and -"

"No hospital. I'll be fine..." The stranger heaved himself off of the table painfully, clutching the metal surface tightly in his hands to prevent himself from falling to the floor.

"I'm not kidding around, you could still die. _Fuck_ \- you shouldn't even be standing right now!" Frank argued back vehemently, because he wasn't going to let this asshole wander out of here only to keel over two feet from his doorstep - which is what was almost guaranteed to happen if he tried to leave right now, and Frank had put entirely too much effort into saving this shithead to let him ruin it all in some pretentious show of bad-assery.

"I said no!" the man growled back - _literally_ growled, and when he spoke, Frank caught a glimpse of something that made him think he was going crazy. Finally, Frank's survival instincts began to kick in, and he was really _fucking_ scared right now, because this guy had fucking _fangs_ jutting out of his upper lip.

And Frank should have caught onto this before - well _maybe_ not the fangs, but he should have suspected that something was off about this stranger from the beginning.

Because why would this guy not want to seek medical help unless he was running from the law; he might be a wanted criminal, maybe even the serial killer everyone was in such a panic over - which would explain the vampire fangs, and Frank began to realize what a stupid fucking idea it was to ever bring this man into his home, but it was too little too late.

"What the fuck..." Frank gasped out softly, because he had no idea how he was supposed to react right now. He wracked his brain quickly, trying to recall all of the ways to kill a vampire that he had ever heard of; he was fresh out of garlic, and he didn't have anything silver on him, so maybe he could stake him with a blunt object?

But Frank forced himself to stop that train of thought before he acted on it, because there was no way that vampires were actually _real_ ; this was probably just a fucked up freak who had stuck on a pair of fake fangs and gotten himself shot by scaring the crap out of someone, so Frank did what seemed like the logical decision and made a break for his room, where he could lock the door and call the police on his cell phone.

Frank tried to run - he _really_ did, and he should have been able to escape easily, because this man was terribly wounded, and he could barely walk. Therefore, Frank was quite shocked when the stranger managed to put on a surprising burst of speed, pinning Frank against the wall before he could take two steps out of the room, trapping his route of escape completely with his body.

Frank really wished his life was an episode of Criminal Minds right then, because if it was, Agent Morgan would break his door down right about now and save him from whatever grisly fate this sicko had in mind for poor little Frank, and then Frank could try and hook up with Doctor Reid - he was _gorgeous_ okay, and Frank was probably panicking just a little bit at this point, because he shouldn't be imagining making out with hot doctors when he was about to be _fucking_ murdered.

And even though Frank was really fucking terrified, he was also painfully aware of how close this stranger was pressing up against him, and the fact that he was most likely a psychotic serial killer hadn't lessened Frank's initial attraction to him in the slightest. So he was stuck battling the conflicting sensations of being marginally turned on while at the same time about to piss himself from fright - which was a major mind fuck to say the least.

"I'm so sorry..." the stranger murmured.

Frank wanted to respond, maybe he could even talk this freak down before he killed him, because he did look genuinely sorrowful about whatever he was going to do. His hazel eyes were watery with unshed tears, but that could just be from the pain as well, and Frank was probably trying a bit too hard to find some good intentions in this painfully attractive weirdo.

Before Frank could open his mouth to attempt to bullshit his way out of his untimely death, the stranger pressed his mouth against Frank's neck, inhaling audibly before viciously sinking his teeth into Frank's skin.

~~~

"I hate you so _fucking_ much right now," Mikey Way seethed at his mate, who he kind of wanted to punch in the face at the moment.

"I know - I'm _sorry_...just -"

"Don't talk to me - don't you _fucking_ dare," Mikey cut Ray off, not wanting to listen to his endless apologies, because nothing he said could fix what had already happened.

"I promised Gerard..." Ray ventured again, stubbornly refusing to let go of Mikey's arm no matter how hard he tried to twist away.

"Well you shouldn't have! _Fuck_ Ray - we need to go find him..."

"I am not letting you go back out there, not with two hunters on the warpath." Ray dug his fingers even tighter into Mikey's shoulder to emphasize his point, and luckily for him, he was the stronger of the two by a decent margin.

"This _fucking_ sucks." Mikey's posture deflated rapidly, all of the fight leaving him when he realized that Ray wasn't going to budge.

"I know baby."

"I just - Gerard can't die..." Mikey whispered softly.

"He _won't_ \- he knows what he is doing." And Mikey really hoped that Ray wouldn't be proven a liar anytime soon, because he couldn't imagine Gerard dying, even though it was a very real possibility at the moment. 

Mikey knew that Gerard was quick on his feet, but that knowledge did nothing to help him resist the temptation to race after his brother, although that would probably get them both killed in the process, because Gerard was a better fighter on his own. When he had other people to protect, he got hesitant, and the logical portion of Mikey's brain was aware that it was better to turn and run instead of staying and being the reason that Gerard got gunned down because he was distracted.

"This _fucking_ sucks," Mikey repeated once again, forgoing all attempts to escape for the time being, instead sinking down against one of the many pews which littered the old church that Ray had forcibly dragged him to after their narrow escape from the hunters.

"He was just trying to protect us Mikey...and I'm sure he will come walking through those doors any minute now." Ray sat down beside his mate gingerly, his muscles tensing warily in what Mikey was sure was preparation in case he decided to make a break for the door again.

"He was being an asshole is what he was doing. _Fuck_ \- fuck Gerard and his pretentious hero complex. We could have all made it out...but _no_ , he wants to go down in a fucking blaze of glory or some shit like that, and you _fucking_ let him," Mikey hissed angrily, pushing his finger into Ray's chest to emphasize his words, not willing to let go of his fury even if he had come to the conclusion that Ray hadn't done anything wrong.

"Gerard is fine, he led the hunters away Mikey - you saw him."

"Yeah, and I also heard _fucking_ gun shots - so until I see him with my own eyes, I am still _fucking_ pissed at you." Mikey crossed his arms over his chest and pointedly turned his back to Ray, who was trying not to smile at how adorable Mikey got when he was in a foul mood.

Mikey really did want to believe that Gerard would make it out okay; he was faster than either of them, and even though he was facing off against two hunters, Mikey had faith in his abilities to outmaneuver them and return here unscathed, but he was still scared for him, which had manifested into anger as a sort of defensive mechanism.

"So now what..." Mikey huffed out after a prolonged silence. He was really terrible at holding grudges - especially against his mate, so his earlier fury had mostly worn off by now. He was still terrified for Gerard's safety, but he had realized that mouthing off to Ray wasn't helping in any way whatsoever.

"Now we wait." Ray shrugged, and even though Mikey had to agree since there wasn't really anything else they could do, he wasn't pleased with that answer.

"Well we can't stay here for long, we will fry as soon as the sun comes up," Mikey pointed out after looking around the church. Most of the walls were rotting and hole ridden, and unless there was a basement or something more secluded they could pass the day in, they would have to move on in a few hours.

"Let's stay here for a little while longer, just in case Gerard comes back." Ray stretched out across the pews lazily, and if Mikey wasn't so pent up, he might have joined him. The chaotic events of the night meant he still hadn't fed, and the lack of blood in his system was making him sluggish.

"Fine by me..." Mikey agreed begrudgingly, finally giving in and lying down beside his mate, trying his best to find a comfortable position on the hard wood.

Their peaceful dozing was interrupted not long after by the sound of a door opening. Mikey sprang to his feet instantly, preparing himself to rush into Gerard's arms, because who else would enter a rundown old church at two in the morning?

But instead of his brother, Mikey found himself eye to eye with a strange man: long black hair brushed his shoulders, and his bluish grey eyes bore into Mikey's, who was currently barring his fangs in a pathetic attempt to intimidate this stranger who carried an aura of power around him like it was a cloak.

"Baby - it's one of us..." Ray whispered softly, and Mikey realized what he should have from the very beginning, but he had been so desperate for this person to be Gerard that he had overlooked the obvious - this stranger was a _vampire_.

The man's face broke into a smile once Mikey dropped his threatening stance, because he had known these two were vampires from the moment he approached the church. There was a slight pull between members of the vampire species, allowing them to recognize another of their kind without having to glimpse their hidden fangs. This skill did get stronger with age, which explained why Mikey had not immediately caught on to the fact that he was in the presence of another vampire, and this man was old enough to have become quite practiced at identifying people at a glance.

Mikey and Ray stayed completely still, unsure how to react to this strange vampire. When it became apparent that his sudden appearance had shocked the two young vampires into inaction, the older man beckoned with his hands, inviting them to follow him as he uttered four words that neither boy had heard since before the purge.

"Welcome home my children."


	9. This Chapter Is Basically All Smut

Gerard actually felt a twinge of remorse as he sunk his teeth into this strange man's neck, which was not an emotion he usually associated towards humans whatsoever, but this one was _different_.

He had saved Gerard's life, because if those bullets hadn't been removed from his flesh, it wouldn't have jump-started his healing abilities enough for him to be able to have awakened, and Gerard would be dead right now.

He owed this man _everything_ , and if there was any possible alternative, Gerard would have set out in search of someone else to drink from tonight, but he was still weak, and he needed to feed now before he collapsed again; _still_ \- Gerard hated the fact that he was repaying him for his act of kindness by feeding off of him.

The guilt bothered him, mostly because it was such a new sensation - a rather unpleasant one at that, and it was interrupting the magnificent flow of blood that was currently pouring down his throat. This stranger tasted _exquisite_ \- better than any other human he had drunk from, no one else even came close in comparison.

That could be because his usual targets were drug addicts and prostitutes, their blood diluted with whatever foul substances they had pumped into their body that night, but it had never bothered Gerard before.

Now Gerard doubted he could ever drink from anyone else again, because this man tasted incredible. If he had to attempt to put words to the flavor flowing over his tongue, he would have sounded like an idiot. Blood was supposed to be coppery and warm - that was it, but this stranger's held so much more than just that.

It was hinted with vanilla and - as ridiculous as this sounded - _sunshine_ , which was something Gerard had never experienced firsthand, otherwise he would have been a pile of ash right now, but that was the only term Gerard could call to mind to fit the tang that accompanied this stranger's blood.

Maybe it was all just a product of Gerard's extreme state of hunger, or maybe humans truly did have their own unique flavor when you branched out from drug addicts and whores, but either way, Gerard really didn't care right now, and he continued to drink his fill from this delicious source.

At first, the stranger's body had been tense with fear - which wasn't that surprising given the way Gerard had practically jumped him, but as the venom from Gerard's teeth made its way into his bloodstream, he relaxed, tilting his head to the side so Gerard could have better access to him, and he began pulling him closer instead of trying to shove him off.

When the man emitted a soft moan, Gerard lost himself in the joy of the moment, because this was the most pleasurable feeding he had partaken in.

The act of drinking blood was intended to be a very intimate thing; in the past, mates usually drank together, because the sheer lust of the act needed to be expelled in one way or another. Unmated vampires were usually left to compensate with their hand, unless the human blood slave took a fancy to them - in which case they could choose to offer themselves as a way to release the tension.

And Gerard would be lying if he said he didn't want this man; from what he had seen in the few moments he had been conscious - he was _gorgeous_ \- not to mention clean and completely sober, and Gerard's last few partners had been neither of those things.

The rational part of Gerard's mind told him that he should really rethink this, because this wasn't someone he had picked up from a bar that was desperate to go home with anyone that so much as looked in their direction, and taking advantage of the state his bite had put him into would be immoral to say the least.

He might not even be gay - or bisexual, and his current state of arousal could only be caused by the endorphins pumping throughout his blood stream, which would be a very awkward situation - not that this man was likely to remember it in the morning.

Vampires didn't usually concern themselves with such things; they had no true sexual orientation - if they felt compelled to label themselves, which they didn't, they would be pansexual. They were attracted to all genders, and _yes_ , they did have a few personal preferences regarding looks and such, but because their mates were basically predestined for them, they had no idea if they would be male or female, and they really didn't care once they found them, but Gerard was aware that humans were not programmed in the same fashion.

But the sensible side of Gerard was quickly being buried by the intensity of the blood he was ingesting and the sensual way this stranger had begun writhing underneath him, and all thoughts of leaving had basically flown out the window when the man whimpered in the neediest way Gerard had ever heard in his life.

Finally, Gerard pulled away, wiping his mouth delicately as he relished in the feeling of his wounds healing and his body filling with vitality. He hadn't been this well fed in months, and he had forgotten how good it felt to be properly satiated. Luckily, he remembered to pull out the stitches before his injuries closed entirely, otherwise they would have fused to his skin and he would have had to dig them out with a knife.

A little too late, Gerard realized that he might have been just a bit too greedy in the amount of blood he had taken from this stranger judging by the way he swayed on his feet and his eyelids kept falling closed, even though he was obviously struggling to keep them open.

And Gerard was just contemplating leaving him be so he could get some much needed rest that would help him recover from the large amount of blood Gerard had just stolen from him when the stranger uttered three words that Gerard simply could not refuse.

"Please... _fuck me_."

Gerard had to bite back a moan when he caught sight of the impressive tent in the man's blood stained pajama pants, and as he watched, the stranger slowly trailed his hand down his own chest before slipping it beneath his waistband to grasp his cock.

"I _need_ you," he gasped out, and that was the final straw for Gerard, because he wasn't a saint, and there was no way he could do the right thing when this man was literally masturbating in front of him, not to mention the fact that his own jeans had become uncomfortably tight, which wasn't helping in any way whatsoever.

So Gerard pinned the stranger against the wall for the second time tonight, but instead of going for his neck, he plundered his mouth in a scorching kiss. It was all tongue and heavy breathing - teeth scraping against each other in a desperate bid to get closer together, their lips smashing so hard that they would probably be bruised in the morning, but neither of them really cared at the moment, because this felt too _fucking_ good.

"What's your name?" Gerard asked in a husky voice when they finally pulled apart for air. It wasn't really important, but Gerard wanted to know it, and he was really tired of referring to this man as _"the stranger"_ in his head.

"Frank..." he moaned out, because Gerard had chosen that moment to lean down and lick away a lingering drop of blood from Frank's bruised neck in the most sensual fashion he could muster.

"Frank," Gerard repeated slowly. He liked the way the name rolled off his tongue, but he thought it would sound even better when he called it out as he came deep inside of him.

Frank didn't ask for his name in return, probably because he was too distracted by the hickeys Gerard had begun to leave on his neck now that all traces of blood had been removed - not that Gerard would have given it to him anyway; on the off chance that he actually remembered some of this tomorrow, he didn't want him in possession of that information, but that was highly unlikely given the large amount of toxins flowing through his bloodstream.

The longer a vampire drank from a human, the more venom they received, so Frank would most likely be left clueless about everything that had transpired tonight - at least, Gerard _hoped_ so.

Gerard couldn't seem to stop kissing Frank's neck, even his fucking _sweat_ tasted sweet, and that, coupled with the lingering tang of blood on his tongue was driving Gerard insane; his vision was blurring with lust, and he completely forgot that he was potentially still in danger - the hunters could be tracking him at this very moment, but he really didn't give a fuck.

"Touch me..." Frank gasped out as Gerard continued to suckle his neck, leaving behind some impressive bruises that Frank was going to have a hard time explaining to his coworkers the next day - not to mention himself.

Gerard was more than ready to comply with his desperate plea, but the little fucker was still stroking himself, so Gerard slapped his hand away before wrapping his fingers around Frank's straining cock, growling slightly when he felt how hard he already was.

As he began to pump Frank up and down slowly, Gerard drank in the way Frank's breathing became erratic, and how he had to lean back against the wall to stay on his feet since his knees were shaking so much they could barely support him.

And even though Gerard was practically brain dead from how horny he was, he didn't exactly want to continue this on the cold tile floor where they were standing, so he reluctantly removed his hand from Frank's dick before quickly dragging him toward the sofa he had glimpsed in the next room.

Gerard was momentarily puzzled by the setup of the area, it looked more like a waiting room than a living room - the hard plastic chairs lining the walls and the desk in the corner definitely gave it that sort of vibe, but he pushed it to the back of his mind, because this guy had a freaking operating table in his house, so it wasn't really that weird if you put it in perspective.

And when Frank removed his flannel pants before throwing himself on the couch - dragging Gerard with him in the process, all thoughts about the oddities of this place fled Gerard's mind, instead being replaced by the sight of Frank's cock which was fucking _leaking_ already, and Gerard really couldn't focus on anything else right now except what he wanted to do to this man.

He was actually plagued with a bout of indecision for a moment, because he truly desired to do everything possible to Frank right now, and he couldn't pick which one to initiate first: he wanted to suck his dick until he came, or maybe eat him out before fucking him so hard he wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow, and while he was busy contemplating his choices, Frank had started touching himself again - which kind of pissed Gerard off - _he_ should be the one doing that.

"Don't you dare do that again..." Gerard hissed out, grabbing Frank's hand and pinning it above his head in a possessive manner, grinding down onto Frank in the process.

" _Please_ \- I need you - _fuck_ , I need to come..." Frank begged unashamedly, his eyes squeezed shut tightly as he bucked his hips upward, trying to create more friction between their bodies.

"You will sugar...just not yet," Gerard smiled wickedly, but Frank didn't see it, _hell_ \- his eyes were practically glued shut, most likely because he was feeling too many sensations at once, and his human brain could barely cope with the onslaught, so he was attempting to cut off one of his senses in the hopes that it would calm him down - which didn't seem to be working too well at the moment judging by his raging hard on.

Gerard took his time trailing his mouth down Frank's bare torso - well bare of clothing, but not of tattoos. The sight of them awoke a tingle of recognition in the back of Gerard's mind, but he shoved it away; he was too focused on Frank writhing beneath him to bother with thinking anymore.

" _Fuck_ \- stop teasing!" Frank cried out as Gerard licked across the ink directly above his hipbones, his lower half jerking forward in an effort to receive more attention from Gerard.

"You better hush that pretty mouth up if you want anything more," Gerard replied lazily, wanting Frank to understand who was in charge here, because he had to be in control during sex. He hated the idea of a human being able to do whatever they wanted to him - no matter how gorgeous they were - so he always took that role for himself, and he had grown quite fond of the power trip it provided him with.

Gerard might be sweet and kind around Mikey and Ray, but not with humans - they didn't deserve that, and Frank needed to just shut up and enjoy this before Gerard was tempted to gag him; his animalistic side came out in the bedroom, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it if it proved necessary.

But luckily for Frank - or maybe _unluckily_ , he might like kinky stuff for all Gerard knew, he managed to stay silent besides the occasional gasp, which Gerard was certainly fine with, so he finally rewarded him by lowering his head down to his throbbing cock and teasingly swiping his tongue across the slit.

"Shit - _please_..." Frank couldn't even finish his sentence, because just then Gerard encased him entirely in his mouth, humming happily at how good he tasted. It was actually kind of weird how everything about Frank was pleasant; no one was perfect - especially not _humans_ , but _fuck_ , even this guy's precome was delicious.

" _Oh my god_ ," Frank hissed loudly, throwing his head back against the couch hard enough that Gerard could hear an audible thump when his skull hit the armrest, but if it hurt, Frank showed no sign of it.

Gerard couldn't seem to get enough of Frank's dick in his mouth, and sucking cock wasn't something he did often. Gerard's typical sexual encounters were rushed and hurried affairs, and if any foreplay was involved, he was usually the one receiving it, but Gerard wanted to take his time with Frank, because he was really _fucking_ enjoying this.

Frank was a boneless mess underneath him; his nails were trying to dig as far as possible into the crappy faux leather couch as Gerard sucked him happily, pulling off every now and then to pay some attention to his balls as well. Gerard's hands were pinning his hips down firmly, so no matter how hard Frank tried, he couldn't buck upward like he so obviously wanted to.

"Oh _fuck_ \- please don't stop... _so close_ ," Frank whined loudly, but Gerard didn't want him to come just yet - he had asked Gerard to fuck him after all, so he removed himself completely from Frank's cock, taking a moment to admire how fucking hard he was as he did so. Frank's pathetic whimper quickly followed the loss of Gerard's mouth, the sound ringing out loudly in the quiet room.

"I'll do anything... _please_ ," Frank begged feebly, which only reinforced Gerard's belief that Frank might be the most perfect human he had found yet. He loved how much he wanted - _no_ , needed him, and even though most of it was just from the hormones in Gerard's bite, Gerard was basking in the thought that someone could actually desire him so much.

"Be patient sugar," Gerard cooed before smoothly flipping Frank over so he had better access to his bare ass, and it was quite a nice ass if Gerard said so himself. He took a moment to admire the artwork on his back, and he couldn't resist running his tongue over the inked patterns delicately.

"Are you going to fuck me?" Frank sounded so eager that Gerard had to stifle a bout of laughter before he replied, his swollen lips smarting as he bit down on them heavily.

"Yeah I am - just gotta stretch you first." Because as much as Gerard wanted to just slam his dick into Frank's tight hole, he really didn't want to hurt him, not after he had done so much for Gerard earlier.

Keeping one hand on Frank's spine so he couldn't move, Gerard began coating his fingers with his own saliva, because he had no idea if Frank kept lube somewhere in the house, and he was too impatient to actually go look for it right now, so spit would have to do.

Gerard pressed one finger against Frank's hole, not pushing it all the way in yet, just testing him - _teasing_ him, relishing in the way Frank's breath shortened and he was physically trembling with the effort of staying still. Frank was behaving so well, Gerard decided to reward him by finally sliding his digit inside, and _oh fuck_ \- Frank was tight, Gerard couldn't even imagine how good it was going to feel to have his dick inside him.

" _Fuck_ Frank..." Gerard gasped out, moving his finger back and forth in an attempt to loosen up his vice-like wall of muscles.

"More - I can take it," Frank borderline demanded, and if Gerard wasn't so far gone at this point, he would have been angry with Frank's tone, but he had stopped caring about being in control right now, he just wanted to fuck Frank. So he gave him what he was asking for, adding another finger before beginning a scissoring movement that he hoped would have Frank ready for him quickly.

It wasn't long before he pushed in a third finger, but Frank was still so fucking tight, Gerard wasn't sure if he was going to be able to take his dick - it wasn't a horse cock by any means, but Gerard was pretty well endowed, so he kept up the motions with his hands for now.

"Just relax baby," Gerard tried to make his voice soothing, but it came out sounding wrecked, even to his own ears.

"I can't - _fuck_ \- it feels too good." Frank actually screamed as Gerard's fingers moved into him just a little bit deeper, and he knew he had hit his prostate then.

He massaged the spot gently, and if Frank's eyes were open, Gerard was sure that they would have been rolling into the back of his head by this point, but before Gerard could do anything else, Frank began shaking underneath him, and Gerard knew he was too close.

"Don't you dare come," he growled out, but it was too late. Gerard tried to remove his fingers, but Frank was already spilling his load all over the ratty couch, throwing his head back as he cried out and his ass squeezed around Gerard's digits sporadically.

" _Oh fuck_ \- oh my god..." Frank mumbled quietly, his head falling forward to hang between his trembling arms.

" _Fuck no_ ," Gerard hissed, because he wasn't ready for this to end - not when he was about to rip a hole through his jeans with his own massive erection, so he reached over Frank's quivering body and grasped his dick tightly.

" _Ahh_..." Frank cried out, over-sensitized and confused at the sudden return of sensations.

"You can come again - you are still hard, I can feel it." Gerard proved his point by twisting his wrist slightly, and _yes_ , Frank was still semi-erect and rapidly hardening by the second.

"I can't - it's too much - _ahh..._ "

"Yes you can sugar. _Fuck_ \- you look so fucking pretty right now...I want to make you come again okay?" Gerard flipped Frank over gently when it became apparent that he couldn't support himself any longer, letting him lie on his back as he stroked his cock using his come as lube.

And he really did look gorgeous - at least to Gerard: his eyes were still squeezed tightly shut as he panted heavily, his body was slick with sweat - making the colors of his tattoos shine faintly in the dim light coming from the other room, his dark hair was plastered to his forehead messily, and Gerard was so tempted to push it away and examine his face a bit closer, because he hadn't really been paying much attention to it, he had other parts of Frank's anatomy to occupy his attention after all.

Gerard's mind was screaming at him beneath the burning passion that was occupying ninety-nine percent of his brain, something about Frank - he looked slightly _familiar_ , even though it was hard to tell with so many shadows obscuring his features, but when Frank moaned loudly, Gerard lost his train of thought regarding his uncanny recognition of Frank, and instead returned to his original task of getting Frank ready for his cock.

"That's right sugar - I'm gonna fuck you soon okay? Do you want my dick inside you?" Gerard choked out in between gritted teeth, because the mere sight of Frank all debauched beneath him, his cock rapidly growing under the ministrations of his hand was turning him on just a bit too much, and only his odd fondness for this human prevented him from turning him over and fucking him right then and there.

" _Please_..." Frank gasped out brokenly, snapping his hips in time with Gerard's movements.

It was actually sort of confusing Gerard why he cared so much that Frank came again - he had already had one orgasm, and Gerard usually never concerned himself with getting his partner off, especially not _twice_. If it happened, then good for them, but Gerard was typically very selfish when it came to sex, and Frank wouldn't even remember this in the morning, so he shouldn't care so much about his pleasure when it wasn't even going to matter.

But he did care for some unknown reason, and watching Frank becoming undone underneath him was more satisfying than most of the sex Gerard had partaken in lately; he hadn't even touched himself, but he could already feel his dick leaking through the damp denim of his jeans, so Gerard was completely fine with paying more attention to Frank if it turned him on this much.

Gerard inserted two fingers back into Frank's ass, not wanting him to tighten up again after all his hard work. Frank keened softly, arching his back at the invasive feeling before grinding back down onto Gerard's hand.

"That's it baby, you are doing so well - _fuck_ , I love seeing you like this." And Gerard wasn't lying, Frank looked stunning - like he was a freaking porn star or something - well actually that wasn't a very good analogy, because Frank was obviously enjoying this, and most people in porn looked slightly bored, not that Gerard had really watched all that much of it.

Frank was growing fuller in Gerard's hand, and he couldn't resist leaning down and sucking his cock back into his mouth. _Fuck_ \- he tasted so good with his own come smeared all over his dick, and Gerard almost forgot about fucking him until Frank spoke up again.

"Oh my god - _please_ , fuck me... _ahhh_ I'm so ready," Frank cried out, because Gerard didn't know this, but Frank really loved getting his dick sucked, and he was now fully hard again as a result. It also helped that he had been in a three year long dry spell, so his sex drive was similar to that of a teenagers right now.

"Yeah... _fuck_ yeah," Gerard pulled his mouth off of Frank's cock with an obscene pop before flipping him over once again, fingering him for a few more seconds until he deemed Frank stretched enough.

Frank whined obnoxiously when Gerard removed his digits, but Gerard was done teasing him, because he was only torturing himself now. He ripped his jeans off as rapidly as he could, slicking up his dick with his own spit before pressing the blunt head against Frank's entrance.

"You okay?" Gerard asked one last time, still experiencing a strange bout of protectiveness over this random stranger. If the Gerard from three hours ago was witnessing this, he probably would have smacked himself for giving a shit about a human, regardless of the fact that he had stitched him up and saved his life earlier.

"I need you," Frank gasped loudly, trying to turn his head around to look at Gerard, but he didn't get the chance before Gerard was slowly sinking into Frank's tight heat.

" _Oh my god_ \- how are you so fucking tight?" Gerard hissed out as he shoved into Frank inch by inch. Frank helped by pushing back against him until Gerard was finally sheathed all the way to the base, and he actually had to pause for a minute to contain his own growing orgasm.

"Move, _please_?" Frank asked in a shaky voice, rocking his hips gently against Gerard's as he spoke.

Gerard shifted forward slightly, his dick going that much deeper into Frank's ass, which caused him to yell hoarsely as Gerard brushed his prostate.

" _Fuck_ ," Gerard gasped as he slowly pulled out, making sure to slam back into that same spot again.

"Oh my - _fuck_..." Frank groaned out weakly, his limbs shaking already, but some of that was probably from exhaustion. Gerard took pity on him and reversed Frank's position, letting Frank lie on his back without removing his cock from inside him so he wouldn't have to support himself as Gerard continued to ram into him.

"I'm close already Frank - _fuck_ , what are you doing to me?" Gerard moaned out brokenly, slamming into Frank with reckless abandon, loving the way he tightened around him each time.

"Me too - _fuck_ , I'm gonna come..." Frank basically sobbed, his broken tone sending the coiling heat in Gerard's abdomen to an unbearable level.

Gerard had a death grip on Frank's hips, dragging him down with each thrust so he could get even deeper inside him. Gerard wanted this to last forever, but he was too strung out, he had teased himself too much beforehand, so this was going to be quick.

" _Fuck_ \- I - _ooh_ shit!" Frank screamed as Gerard rubbed his dick against his prostate, and then he was coming before Gerard even realized what was happening, hot streaks of come splattering his chest in a never ending stream as Gerard continued to fuck him through his release.

"Frank - _fuck_ ," Gerard gasped, because Frank had become impossibly tighter around him as he rode out his orgasm, and even though Gerard tried his best to hold it back, he couldn't help but spill his load deep inside of Frank's ass, clutching his hips desperately as if they were the only thing keeping him grounded.

Gerard had never come so hard in his entire life - which was saying a lot considering how long he had been alive and how much sex he had partaken in over those years - he couldn't even see straight right now, the entire room began to blur as he fell forward onto Frank's chest tiredly while his dick continued to twitch inside him.

When Gerard was able to move again, he pulled out of Frank gently, staring down at the way his come dripped between Frank's thighs. In that moment, Gerard wished he owned a camera so he could take a picture of this. Frank was made to be covered in come, and Gerard never wanted to forget the way he looked right now - all blissed out and debauched. Even though he would probably never see him again after tonight, he knew he wouldn't be able to forget him.

"Oh my god - I... _fuck_ , that was amazing." Frank peeled his eyes open lazily, lightly running his hands over Gerard's exposed chest.

"Yeah..." Gerard mumbled against his shoulder, unwilling to move his head just yet, because he knew he had to head out soon to go find Mikey and Ray, and now that he was coming down from the high of Frank's blood, he realized it was kind of a dick move to leave them worrying over him so he could get his rocks off.

The guilt over that was what finally motivated Gerard to sit up, but he couldn't convince himself to vacate the room quite yet, he wanted to spend just one more minute with Frank - not to mention he needed to clean up so Frank wouldn't wake up in the morning to a come covered couch.

"Hey...what happened to your wounds?" Frank asked in a confused tone of voice, rubbing his fingers over the small scar on his chest which was all that was left of Gerard's earlier gunshot injury.

"Don't worry about it sugar," Gerard cooed, grasping Frank's head in his hands so he could pull him in for one final kiss, trying to memorize the way his lips felt pressed against his own, because now that their parting was imminent, Gerard realized he really didn't want this to be a one-time thing. As ridiculous as it sounded, he had already grown slightly attached to Frank, and he wanted this to happen again sometime in the near future.

But he knew that wouldn't be the case; Frank wasn't a whore he could pick up whenever he wanted, he was a real _person_ , with a life that Gerard knew nothing about and that he would never be able to fit into. He had already caused enough problems by disrupting him tonight, and he knew he was going to be _really_ fucking confused when he woke up in the morning with a bunch of fresh hickeys and a sore ass.

As that thought sank in, Gerard realized he might have seriously fucked up. He had been thinking with his dick earlier instead of his brain, but now that he had regained some of his cognitive processes back, he realized that this wasn't a good situation for him to be in - especially not with hunters in town searching for vampires.

Because Frank was going to have a huge ass bite mark on his neck tomorrow, and even though he hopefully wouldn't remember a thing about this because of the venom Gerard had injected into his system, he was still going to be curious about where it had come from.

Gerard pulled away from Frank's lips abruptly; it was really hitting him how _fucking_ stupid he had been, and he was going to have to lay low for a time until this all blew over - or until the hunters found that other vampire that had apparently been here before him. At least Gerard hadn't given Frank his name, that would have come back to bite him in the ass for sure.

"Stay with me tonight?" Frank asked quietly, blissfully ignorant of the dangers that act would involve.

Gerard wished more than anything that he could say yes, but he couldn't stop focusing on how badly he had fucked up. It physically tore at his heart to have to deny Frank his simple request, but he had already taken enough risks for one evening, so he genuinely couldn't, even if Mikey and Ray weren't waiting for him.

But when Gerard finally looked into Frank's eyes, which were a stunning conglomeration of hazel and green that literally took his breath away, intending to gently let him down, he found himself speechless. Somehow he had gone the whole night without meeting his gaze, and he blamed Frank's impressive dick for that, but now that he had, he would have traded anything in the world to go back and make sure he never did.

"No - _fuck_ no..." Gerard stuttered out, because this couldn't be happening - this was _fucking_ impossible, but his mind was refusing to cooperate with him.

"What's wrong?" Frank stroked his face gently, completely unaware of the turmoil that had been unleashed in Gerard's mind all because he stared into Frank's stupidly gorgeous eyes.

Gerard couldn't answer - saying it aloud would make it too real, but his brain was screaming it over and over as if to compensate for his stoic silence.

_"Mate...mate...mate..."_


	10. The Impossible Gerard

_No_...this was not okay...Gerard refused to accept this.

Frank couldn't be his mate - he was _human_ , and that just didn't happen, but when he looked in his eyes, he felt the familiar resonance deep in his soul that was telling him the exact opposite; that was how the whole process worked...Mikey and Ray had known as soon as their gazes caught each other, and apparently it was happening to Gerard now too - with a _fucking_ human of all people.

And for once, Gerard actually wished that this was all some fucked up dream, and that was something he never thought he would yearn for in a million years, but anything would be better than this - even though if this was really all just a dream, then he had reached a whole new level of crazy. Still, he hoped that any second now, he would wake up, and this would just be another sick joke played on him by his mind, because he would gladly hallucinate once a day if it made this situation go away.

But Gerard was awake...he knew that, even though he didn't want to admit it, but after he pinched himself rather roughly, he had to come to the painful realization that he had somehow managed to do the impossible and mate with a human, so lying to himself wasn't really going to help anything.

And even worse, he had _bitten_ him...Frank's blood was flowing through his veins at this very moment, and now that he had made eye contact with him which had allowed his body to realize what Frank was to him, he could feel it in the back of his mind, the bundle of emotions that belonged solely to Frank, but which Gerard now shared too because of their blood bond.

This was a huge _fucking_ deal - synonymous to marriage for vampires, even though they didn't call it that. When two mates exchanged blood, it meant that they were truly bound together for eternity, and they would now share their thoughts and feelings when in close proximity; even when distance separated them, they could tell if the other was in extreme pain or mental duress, and it was usually something that both partners chose to do after an appropriate amount of time had passed and they had discussed it thoroughly.

Because even though this bond was an amazing link, it could also be very dangerous. When two mates joined together by blood, they were connected in life, but also in _death_ ; if one of them died - the other quickly followed. The one left behind lost all will to live, a part of their mind died with their mate, and it was almost impossible to drag oneself out of the following depression. Usually they starved to death, if they didn't decide to end it all by waiting for the sun to rise so the brilliant rays could turn them to ash.

Mikey and Ray hadn't even taken that step in their relationship yet, although they loved each other unconditionally, they had both decided to wait until they found a relatively safe spot to settle down in - a coven hopefully, before making such a serious decision. Life on the run was perilous, and neither of them had wanted to doom the other to death if some tragedy happened to befall one of them.

Gerard glanced toward Frank once more just to make sure that he wasn't fooling himself, but it was too dark in the room for him to see the other man properly, so he darted to the wall switch he had noticed behind him and flicked on the overhead bulbs, bathing the room in a warm glow.

That was an even worse idea than looking into Frank's eyes, because now that Gerard could really see every gloriously naked inch of Frank, he realized why he kept having those flickering moments of recognition.

This was the man from his dreams - the stranger that had been haunting him for years. Gerard had no idea how he hadn't noticed it sooner, but he decided to blame his earlier bullet wounds and the overwhelming lust, along with the poor lighting for his stupidity.

It was the same dark hair and sleeves of tattoos that he had seen one thousand times before, if he put some clothes on him and shoved him under a desk, then it would be the dream all over again - which meant he wasn't going insane. His dream man was real - he was _Frank_ , but actually finding him only filled him with more questions than answers, and Gerard was dangerously close to a having a mental breakdown right now.

For years, he had wanted proof that this man existed, but now that he had tangible evidence right in front of his face, he was tempted to squeeze his eyes shut and pretend that Frank wasn't there. He thought it would help to know that there was a grain of truth to his visions, but it was doing the exact opposite. Gerard's thoughts were a tumultuous mess that he had no hope of sorting through any time soon, and he was truly terrified and pretty much clueless about what this all meant.

Not only had he found the mysterious stranger he had seen every night in his dreams for years, but he was also his _fucking_ mate, and one mindfuck a night was enough, thank you very much - two was just entirely unfair.

"Go to bed...just forget about this okay?" Gerard whispered, his voice shaking embarrassingly as he shoved Frank off the couch a bit rougher than he had intended to.

"So you won't stay..." Frank pleaded softly, throwing puppy dogs eyes Gerard's way that - if he hadn't been so freaked out - he would have found impossible to resist.

"I can't. Please pretend that I was never here?" Gerard didn't look up to make sure that Frank was listening to him, he couldn't take the sight of those hazel eyes another time.

"I won't forget you...but I'll leave if you want." Frank's words were thick with suppressed tears, and Gerard could fucking _feel_ his hurt and betrayal in the back of his mind, but he forced himself to ignore it.

"Trust me - you _will_ ," Gerard scoffed out, making his tone as cold as possible even though all he wanted to do was gather Frank into his arms and hold him until everything stopped spinning and he could rationalize what was happening to him.

The sound of Frank's retreating footsteps almost broke Gerard's heart - which didn't make any sense, because that was what he wanted in the first place, but the room seemed lifeless without Frank's presence, and Gerard was already cursing this bond that made him yearn for Frank when he was gone.

" _Shit_ ," Gerard hissed to himself, dropping his head into his hands weakly as he tried to figure out what the hell to do about this fucked up development - well _developments_ actually.

After sitting there for about five minutes trying to process how this could be possible and getting nowhere with that train of thought, Gerard decided to use his usual coping methods for problems he couldn't solve - _ignore them_.

Worrying about this wasn't going to make it go away, and he still had to deal with the issue of getting out of Frank's house undetected while leaving as little evidence of their dalliance behind as possible, so he tackled the easiest situation first and began wiping all traces of their activities on the couch with Frank's discarded pajamas, throwing them into the nearest trash bin when he was finished.

Luckily, Frank had already mostly cleaned up the operating room, so all Gerard had to do was get rid of his ruined t-shirt and retrieve his still wet trench coat from the chair Frank had draped it over, replacing the phone which had been abandoned on the floor before exiting the house on silent feet.

The porch was another matter entirely, it was still splattered in blood, which wasn't going to be easily removed, but Gerard did his best with the nearby hose, and when he was finished, it appeared only as an old stain, which would have to be good enough for now.

Leaving the same way he came in, Gerard tried to mend the fence he had broken earlier on tonight, and luckily, the wire bent back into place easily, making it appear almost new to anyone who passed by. Checking the area for any sign of the hunters - thankfully no one seemed to be in the nearby vicinity, Gerard buttoned up his coat to conceal his lack of an undershirt and vacated the area as fast as he dared.

When Gerard circled around the front of the house, he noticed the sign for the Iero Veterinary Clinic that had caught his eye earlier, and it just pissed him off even more that it had drawn his attention before he was even aware that Frank was his mate, but it did explain the operating table and waiting room, so he knew that Frank wasn't some weird psycho who kept those sort of things in his home just for shits and giggles.

Gerard could perceive Frank inside the house, his body was pulling him toward it against his will, and he found his feet frozen to the pavement as he wrestled with his instincts that were telling him to go back in there and apologize. Frank was upset, slightly bewildered, and achingly lonely - at least that was what Gerard could discern from the bundle of emotions in his head, but the worst part was that he was _crying_...Gerard could feel his wracking sobs as if they were coming from his own body.

Gerard tried to drown the rush of pity that filled his heart with anger; Frank had no reason to be so distraught - so Gerard was a bit rude to him, at least he wasn't dealing with an existential crisis right now, so he should really consider himself quite lucky. He wasn't even going to remember any of this in a few hours, and Gerard truly wished that his own venom would work on himself, if that were the case, he would have bitten his wrist right then and there so he could forget about this entire fiasco.

Gerard refused to stand outside like a stalker and worry about Frank anymore, so he ran as quickly as he could in the direction of the church he had told Mikey and Ray to meet him at. The physical exertion helped him to stop thinking, and he wanted nothing more than to turn his brain off right now; it also lessened the bundle of nerves in his head that was his bond with Frank, the distance made the connection fuzzy, but he wished he could tune it out entirely.

It wasn't working as well as he had hoped though...Frank was now permanently embedded in his mind, and he knew it would take brain surgery to remove him, if even that would erase the connection he had unknowingly made between them.

He could feel Frank's confusion and sadness, and the fact that those emotions had been caused by Gerard's rough treatment of him hurt more than the bullet wounds Gerard had only recently healed from. Gerard had to force his feet to keep moving in the opposite direction, even though his heart was screaming at him to turn around and return to Frank so he could try and make things right.

It made sense in a fucked up sort of way; that was why in the dream he had cared so much about him, why he had been so desperate to save him. Mates were extremely overprotective of each other, and even though he currently detested that fact, he knew that if Frank was in danger, he would be powerless to resist the urge to rush to his side.

Gerard wanted to not care - _fuck_ , he would love that. If there was any way he could undo this, he would have jumped at the opportunity, even if it meant he would never fall in love again, at least he wouldn't have to be tortured by this pointless attraction to a human he should really stay away from if he had any sense.

This entire situation was so unfair, Gerard wanted to cry, because even if he could get over the fact that Frank was human - which he was still iffy about, Frank couldn't mate with him...humans didn't have mates, and even if Frank somehow fell in love with Gerard, it wouldn't be the same, not to mention the unpleasant reality that Frank would probably die in about sixty years, potentially taking Gerard with him when he croaked now that Gerard had tasted his blood.

This wasn't supposed to happen; the few times Gerard had allowed himself to think of his mate, it had never been _anything_ like this - not that he had really ever considered that possibility for himself. With his questionable mental state, and the fact that he hadn't seen any other vampires in years besides Mikey and Ray, Gerard had been quite certain that he was never going to find his other half, and that had been just fine with him.

Once Mikey had met Ray, Gerard had entertained the thought a few times, but his mental image of his mate had been much different than the reality he was now facing. Gerard was supposed to love another vampire; someone who he could truly share his life with, and who would return Gerard's feelings - not a human who would probably get bored of Gerard in a few years and move on to someone else.

Even though Gerard didn't want to admit it, he truly desired to be loved - _who didn't?_

He secretly yearned for what Mikey and Ray had, even though he told himself that he didn't to protect himself from getting his hopes up for no good reason. He wanted someone to look at him the way Ray gazed at Mikey when he slept, someone who would know what he was feeling without him having to struggle to put it into words, someone who would literally _die_ without him.

But now he was stuck mated to this human who didn't even know his name - not that it was entirely his fault that he didn't, but Gerard was left confused and hurting and feeling like he wanted to punch a wall to release some of his anger at the world.

He briefly tried to entertain the notion that he could somehow cope with this, Frank had been the best lay of his life after all, and maybe he wouldn't be so bad to get to know either, but _no_ \- they would be doomed to fail from the start. Even ignoring Frank's humanity, Gerard knew he couldn't be truly content in a relationship where he would never know if the other person honestly loved him back; the insecurities would tear him apart, and he knew he would eventually end up driving Frank away.

Mated vampires were very clingy, they were rarely ever apart unless the situation called for it, and from what Gerard had observed of human couples, they did not partake in the same emotional attachments that vampires did. Even those that claimed to be deeply in love did not act how Gerard thought two soulmates should; they worked separate jobs, and maintained distance during the day, only reuniting at night for a short time until they fell asleep.

His information might not have been one hundred percent correct since most of it was gleaned from television, but he was pretty certain that there was no way a vampire and a human could ever be happy together, and he was not at all thrilled about being unwillingly signed up as a test subject for that fact.

And that wasn't even the worst thing...he still had to consider the dream, and the fact that Gerard had known that Frank existed years before he ever met him. That also should be impossible, but it seemed that Gerard was determined to make that word irrelevant, so he should really stop using it to describe his life. He was like that brown haired girl he had seen on some TV show called Doctor Who, well actually he had no idea what was happening throughout the entirety of the episode, but they kept calling her _"the impossible girl"_.

Gerard was too exhausted to even ponder what this meant for him; if he was doomed to die in a fire, then so be it. He was tired of trying to dissect whatever his brain was attempting to tell him, and he obviously wasn't that skilled at predicting future events anyway since he had never seen this coming.

His waking hours were worse than any crazy hallucinations his mind could cook up right now, because even his worst nightmares had never including him mating with a human. Gerard continued to run, trying to outdistance his apparent mate so he wouldn't have to feel that dragging pull that was urging him to turn around right now and try to figure out a way to make this work.

Some people might assume that Gerard was being just a tad bit overdramatic, but for a vampire, this was a huge _fucking_ deal, so Gerard was actually behaving quite rationally, but the more the situation began to sink in, the more unraveled Gerard was beginning to feel.

Finally, the old church Gerard had told Mikey and Ray to wait for him at came into his tear-blurred vision, and he almost collapsed with relief at the sight of it. Mikey would know what to say...he would make everything better somehow.

But when he pulled open the creaky doors, Mikey was nowhere to be found - or Ray for that matter, and after searching every crevice and hallway with no sign of either of them, Gerard lost his last shred of composure and collapsed against one of the musty pews, crying bitterly into the crook of his arm as his despair overwhelmed him completely.


	11. In Which Petekey Happens Because I Couldn't Resist

Mikey followed the strange vampire - who had introduced himself as Bert, down into the bowels of the church as a bubble of hope began to unfurl in his chest. Mikey was almost scared to feel that emotion, because this was what he had been so desperate for, and now that it was actually happening, he was terrified that something was going to go terribly wrong and his fantasy would be ruined.

Maybe there was no coven down here, and Bert was just a crazy old vampire that lived under a church, or maybe this was a dream, and whatever sickness was afflicting Gerard had begun to affect Mikey as well meaning that he was hallucinating all of this. If that was the case, this was a very realistic dream, and apparently Ray was having it too, but Mikey wasn't ready to rule out any possibility just yet.

Because even though this vampire seemed kind, and _sane_ , and he had promised the coven was just a little further ahead, it had been so long since Mikey had been around anyone besides Ray and Gerard, and he was wary to place his trust in this complete stranger. He could be some psycho who was just luring them down to his lair to kill them, or torture them, or maybe even keep them as sex slaves - or _something_ , and although Mikey was being unrealistic by this point, he was beginning to freak himself out just a bit.

Ray noticed Mikey's distress; even though they weren't bonded by blood, he was exceptionally skilled at telling when his mate was panicking, and Ray seemed to be much more trusting of Bert than Mikey, so when he slipped his hand into Mikey's trembling one, trying to tell him without words that it was all going to be okay, and even if it wasn't, that he would be there to help Mikey escape if Bert was in fact a murderer or whatever, Mikey allowed his tense posture to unwind slightly.

Mikey shot Ray a grateful look, because just the simple reminder of his mate's presence calmed him greatly, and he managed to shut up his mind up for a bit and just focus on keeping his footing as they followed Bert down into a large crypt. Once elegant tombs were ensconced all over the room, and even though this place had obviously been abandoned for years, there was still an aura of reverence hanging over them.

"If you boys could avert your eyes for a moment while I open the door. Once you are accepted into the coven, all of our secrets will be revealed, but until then, I cannot let you see the key to the secret entrance," Bert asked in an apologetic voice, and Ray and Mikey both obliged, turning their backs on the older vampire as he rummaged around for what they assumed was the key he spoke of. A few seconds later, a sharp click sounded in the still air, followed by a creaking noise and a rush of air.

"You may look now," Bert informed them, and when Mikey turned around, he saw that an entire section of the wall had been opened, revealing a massive set of stairs which led downwards into what he hoped was the coven.

"Are you sure we will be welcomed here?" Mikey asked in a shaky voice, because as much as this was exactly what he wanted, this all seemed too good to be true, and he was still waiting for Bert to burst into a fit of laughter before pulling out a knife and stabbing them.

The one and only time Gerard and Mikey had found a coven before this, they had refused to unlock the gates, even though the boys had spent hours outside pleading desperately to be let in, so the fact that Bert was so eager to accept them had Mikey confused. As far as he knew, vampires that had retained their covens were wary of outsiders, and they didn't open their doors for just anyone.

"Of course my children, I welcome all lost vampires into my fold. I know it is unconventional, but our race has lost so much already, and I do not hold to the belief that most other leaders do. This is a place of safety for all vampires that need it, and as long as you follow our rules, you will be free to stay here for as long as you want," Bert assured them.

"Thank you..." Mikey whispered quietly, still trying to process that this was actually happening, but the fact that Bert hadn't tried anything yet was reassuring, because if he really had ill intentions toward them, surely he would have acted on them by now.

"Our coven is a bit crowded at the moment, but it isn't anything to be concerned with. We actually consist of two separate covens that came together; the one in New York was raided by hunters last year, and since I am personal friends with their leader - Lindsey, all of the survivors now live here as well. I will introduce you to Lindsey in a bit, I am sure she will be happy to meet you."

They had reached another wall by this point, and Bert didn't ask them to turn away this time, so Mikey and Ray watched in awe as he pressed his fingers against the stone in a certain spot, causing a hidden door to creak inward as if pulled by invisible strings.

"Welcome to your new home." Bert gestured as the door swung open wider, and Mikey's jaw dropped as he observed the coven for the first time.

It was even better than he had imagined, and although it wasn't as beautiful as the coven he had grown up in, it was still a sight for sore eyes. Small houses stretched as far as the eye could see, separated by cobblestone streets that looked recently swept. Vampires were everywhere, some conversing in their front yards, others walking briskly down the road and out of sight, but all of them looked happy, and safe, and very much _alive_.

"This is amazing..." Mikey gasped, still slightly in shock over seeing a large gathering of his own kind after spending years wondering if anyone had survived.

"We were lucky during the purge because of our underground location. We were able to fight the humans off with ease, and we have since expanded our safety measures to ensure we are never found." Bert's voice had a smug quality to it, but Mikey didn't notice - he was too caught up in sightseeing.

"There are so many vampires." Ray was just as stunned as Mikey, and because of this, neither of them had realized that Bert had continued his forward pace until he motioned for them to follow him.

"Like I said before, this is a conglomeration of two covens, in fact, this is probably the largest group of vampires living together today."

Bert continued to explain the origins of the coven to them as they made their way further into the open area, elaborating on the complicated construction techniques that had been used to make a livable city under the ground. He didn't notice that Mikey and Ray weren't paying attention to his detailed explanation regarding air ducts and support systems, because even though the subject was interesting, they were much more enthralled by looking at the city that was unfolding before their eyes instead of hearing about how it had come to be.

As they walked, a small crowd gathered behind them, and Mikey knew they were curious over who he and Ray were and what they were doing here, but he didn't stop to greet them. He wasn't comfortable being the subject of everyone's attention, so he tried to ignore the growing press of vampires congealing around them, instead, focusing on their surroundings.

Finally, they reached a humble looking home on the end of the street, which Bert informed them was where he lived. For some reason, Mikey thought the coven leader would stay in grander accommodations, and it was slightly refreshing to know that he didn't elevate himself above the rest of his people.

"This door is always open to you if you have a question or concern, so don't be shy to stop by," Bert smiled as he led them inside.

"There you are Bert! I have a bone to pick with - oh hello there," a tall, black haired vampire waved to Mikey and Ray sheepishly as they entered.

"Lindsey, say hello to Mikey and Ray, they will be staying with us for the foreseeable future," Bert made the introductions quickly.

"Two orphans huh? What covens did you come from?" Lindsey asked with a sad look on her face.

"London," Mikey answered.

"South Africa," Ray replied.

"I thought those covens were completely destroyed. You are the first survivors I have heard of from those places... _oh boys_ , you have traveled so far. How long have you been alone?" Lindsey pressed.

"Too long...almost two hundred years," Mikey spoke up softly.

"That's terrible," Lindsey gasped before coming over so she could pull Mikey into a quick hug, catching him off guard with the unexpected show of affection.

"You are not alone any longer," Bert assured them, and Mikey almost wanted to cry at those words, because it had finally all sunk in; he had really done it, he had found a coven, and they were going to be safe now, and Gerard could get some help, and...oh _fuck_ \- Mikey had forgotten about Gerard.

Well, not actually forgotten, more like gotten distracted by the wonders of the coven, but he had neglected to mention the fact that there was another member to their small party, and that he was supposed to be waiting for his brother in the church.

He silently berated himself for his stupidity, but the last thing he had expected to happen tonight was for him to stumble upon this secret horde of vampires, and the fact that he didn't know his brother's fate had gotten shoved to the back of his mind for the moment, but that still wasn't an excuse, and Mikey hoped it wasn't too late to fix his idiocy.

"Um...my brother, he is still up in the city somewhere. We got attacked by hunters, and he led them away. We were supposed to meet him in the church, that was why we were there in the first place, and he might be looking for us right now," Mikey rattled off quickly, hoping that Bert wouldn't be angry with him for concealing Gerard's existence, because he hadn't done it on purpose. He didn't think Bert would be upset, but for some reason, the older vampire intimidated Mikey, and he didn't want to do anything to make him retract his welcome.

"You have a sibling, how rare," Bert commented as Mikey nodded hurriedly. He'd almost forgotten how often people used to marvel over their relationship, but now it was all coming back to him. "That is a problem, but hopefully one we can correct. Lindsey, would you go up to the church and see if this Gerard is there? Make sure not to leave the premise so the hunters aren't alerted to our presence." Bert directed his words to the female vampire who was scowling slightly, the gesture twisting her pretty features in a not so pleasant way.

"But I need to speak with you about something," she hissed quietly, glancing over at Mikey and Ray as if they were interrupting, which didn't help soothe Mikey's nerves at all.

"It can wait until after this I am sure," Bert answered coldly.

"Fine...but you better be here when I get back."

"I will be, I am just going to explain the rules of the coven to those boys before I set them up in a house - _oh_ , can you send Brendon here on your way out as well? It would be nice for them to meet someone else closer to their age." Lindsey's sniffed sharply in response, and Mikey didn't miss the way her eyes flashed angrily before she pulled herself together with a visible amount of effort.

"Brendon is one of my vampires, and you have no right to order him around."

" _Fine_ \- if you are going to be touchy, send Ryan then, but I believe Brendon would be more accommodating. They will probably both end up coming no matter who you find first." Bert waved his hand like it didn't matter either way, and it was obvious that his aloof manner was infuriating Lindsey.

"Could I go with her...if that's okay? I don't want Gerard to get scared and take off," Mikey asked timidly in an attempt to defuse some of the tension that was now clogging the atmosphere of the room.

"I'm sorry son, but I would much rather you stay here. Lindsey will make sure not to frighten your brother." Bert brushed off Mikey's request, and he wasn't brave enough to argue his case with this fearsome vampire. No matter how kindhearted he appeared, Mikey could sense that he wasn't a man who was used to being disputed.

"He has long black hair, and he is wearing a dark trench coat," Mikey informed Lindsey so she would know what to look for, hiding his disappointment at being unable to accompany her the best that he could.

"Well Lindsey...what are you waiting for?" Bert arched one eyebrow impatiently.

"Nothing sir," she spat out sarcastically before storming out of the house in a huff.

"I am sorry about her, she is used to running her own coven, and we are still working out the kinks of being a team, but she isn't always like that," Bert apologized for Lindsey's behavior once she was out of earshot, and Mikey simply nodded, not really knowing what else to say. There was an obvious power struggle going on here, and Mikey wanted no part of it.

"Uh - it's fine," Ray supplied an answer when Mikey didn't come up with a verbal response, forcing a smile onto his face that Mikey could tell was mostly faked.

"Let me just go over a few things you need to know, and then Brendon - or Ryan - will show you to your house, we have an empty one just a little farther down this road..."

~~~

Pete was bored, as usual; Brendon and Ryan had shoved him out of their room a few minutes ago - probably so they could have sex, and since they were his only friends, he had been wandering around the streets of the coven, looking for something to entertain himself with when he heard a commotion coming from behind him.

Turning back in the direction of the noise, he saw a small crowd of vampires huddled up on the side of the street staring at something, but he couldn't tell what from this angle.

"What's going on?" Pete shoved his way into the group, ignoring the dirty looks that were shot his way.

"Two new vampires have arrived," Hayley finally took pity on him and answered since everyone else seemed to be studiously ignoring poor Pete, not that he could really blame them. Pete had a reputation for trouble, and most vampires chose to pretend like he didn't exist.

"Really? I want to see!" Pete exclaimed excitedly, because new arrivals were way more interesting than anything else that had happened lately, and maybe he could finally make some more friends that wouldn't spend all of their time fucking each other.

"Then go look dumb ass." Hayley rolled her eyes, but Pete didn't see the rude gesture since he was already tearing off in the direction she had pointed, determined to catch a glimpse of these vampires before Bert whisked them away to give them the usual lecture he bored all of the members of the coven with.

Finally, Pete heard Bert's familiar voice rambling on about something, and he slowed his pace to a walk so Bert wouldn't notice him, because if he did, he would probably put Pete to work or something like that, and he wanted to avoid drawing attention to himself if at all possible.

Trying to appear casual, Pete slipped into the small crowd that was also following Bert; apparently he wasn't the only one interested in the new arrivals, and he also wasn't the only one who was trying to keep away from Bert while still getting an eyeful of these vampires.

It was hard to catch a good glimpse of the new vampires since they were facing away from him, but every now and then, they would glance around, and Pete did his best to take in their features. They looked young, maybe a little older than Pete if he had to guess, and they seemed malnourished and exhausted. One had quite the head of hair, it was basically an afro, and Pete was curious as to how it maintained its shape when it was obvious that he didn't use any product in it, maybe he would ask him after Bert was done with him.

Pete couldn't get a decent view of their faces though, so he shoved his way out of the press of bodies and hurried ahead of the strange vampires, squeezing himself in between two houses so he could observe them as they walked by. Pete realized that he could just wait until they were finished speaking with Bert and then he could introduce himself properly, but he was quite entertained right now, so he didn't even think about how creepy he was being, besides - it was only creepy if he got caught.

After what seemed like hours to Pete but was probably only minutes, Bert's voice reached his ears again, and he knew they were drawing close to his hiding place.

Craning his neck so he could get a better view without revealing his presence, Pete observed the two strangers as they walked. His first assumption was correct, they were definitely young; he could also see how mud splattered and frayed their clothing was from this vantage point, and he wondered how long they had been wandering in the outside world on their own.

They were gazing around with shocked looks on their faces, and it seemed like they were trying to drink in the entire town with their eyes. Pete smiled at their awestruck expressions, which had him wishing he still felt that way about this coven, but the novelty had worn off for him long ago, and he no longer enjoyed his home as much as he used to.

When the thinner and lankier of the two looked in Pete's direction, he thought he had been caught for sure, even so, he still tried his hardest to stay frozen in case he hadn't spotted him yet, but he forgot all about concealing himself when his vision was filled with the stranger's hazel irises.

The other vampire hadn't seen Pete, at least - he thought he hadn't, and even if he had, he didn't react at all, but Pete couldn't care less if he was earning himself the impression of a stalker right now, because even though their eyes had only met for a second, and it was more of a passing glance than anything else, Pete's entire world had changed with that one look.

This stranger was his _mate_ , Pete knew it for sure; he had heard others talking about the sensation, and there could be no alternative explanation for the fuzzy feeling in his brain or the way his stomach was flipping over violently. His soul called out to the vampire whose name he didn't even know, but before Pete could gather his wits and react to this unexpected development, the newcomer had disappeared into Bert's home, and Pete had lost his chance to do anything besides stare after him longingly.


	12. Pete Wentz - Boner Killer Extraordinaire

Pete wasn't sure how long he stayed in that alley staring at the house and praying for the stranger to come back out. When the door did open, Pete's heart basically exploded in his chest, but he was quickly disappointed when he saw Lindsey emerge instead of his mate.

"Pete - come here," Lindsey called out, causing Pete to jump at least a foot in the air.

"Y-yes?" Pete stammered, trying to calm down and act slightly natural and not like he had just been caught being a total stalker by his coven leader.

"Stop trying to eavesdrop and go get Brendon for me - or Ryan, it doesn't _fucking_ matter, Bert wants them to show the new boys around," she sighed, and even though Pete hadn't actually been eavesdropping - more like _spying_ actually, he knew it was better not to argue with Lindsey, so he simply nodded in acknowledgment before rushing off to find his friend.

He wanted to talk to Brendon anyway, because he was mated, so he would know what to do, and Pete really needed advice since he had no idea how to act around someone he had never met that he was already in love with. Pete was awkward enough, and he really didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of his mate, so he hoped his friend would be able to help him with this.

Because even though people thought Pete didn't notice, he knew what they all thought of him. He was the weird one, the oddball, the _freak_ , and he didn't want to come off that way to his mate if he could do anything about it.

Pete couldn't really help his reputation; it was mostly his mother's fault anyway, and even though Pete was a bit strange, he didn't deserve the glares and unwarranted scoffs that followed him everywhere.

Because even though Pete was different, and maybe slightly obnoxious at times, and he didn't seem to have a good brain to mouth filter - he wasn't _insane_ , not like his mother, but everyone else had chosen to believe that he was, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Pete's mother had powers - _well_ she used to, they didn't really work anymore, not after her mind had broken. In the past, she had been able to see accurate visions of the future, but when she had spied the oncoming purge in her thoughts, it had destroyed her sanity, and now instead of being the local oracle, she was simply a nut case.

Pete hadn't been born then, so he never knew his mother back when she had been normal, _well_ \- as normal as someone with mystical powers could be, but he had heard stories, and he really wished that he had gotten the chance to experience the person his mother used to be.

But he couldn't turn back time, so his impression of the woman who had birthed him was that she was crazy. She didn't even recognize Pete half of the time, and she had no idea who his father was, or at least - that's what she said, so Pete couldn't ask him for answers either.

But even though his mother was insane, she wasn't a bad person, and Pete tried his best to be a good son for her, but now that they had moved locations to a new coven, Bert kept her away from the general population, so he didn't see her very often anymore.

Pete was originally from the New York coven, and Lindsey had been much kinder to his mother, allowing her to stay with Pete and providing a caretaker for her so she wouldn't have to deal with the upkeep of the house alone.

But when they had been forced to move to New Jersey after the hunters found them, Pete's mother had been sequestered away in an old house on the outskirts of town guarded by Bert's men, and Pete didn't like them, so he avoided that area as much as he could.

Pete felt bad for his mother, but at the same time, he was relieved that she wasn't such a huge part of his life anymore. Honestly - she _scared_ him, and Pete was terrified that he would end up like her one day; everyone else seemed to think so, even though had no powers to speak of - not yet anyway.

Pete's cousin - Quinn had the gift though, and he wasn't insane, but his magic differed from his mother's in a way; he showed other people visions of their future when they gazed into his eyes, but he had no clue what they saw, and each time his power was used, he lost a bit of his eyesight. He had taken to wearing sunglasses at all times and avoiding people to preserve what little vision he had left.

Not all vampires had mystical abilities - not anymore; in the old days, almost every vampire bloodline had some sort of magic coursing through it, but the gifts had trickled out over time, and now only rare individuals possessed powers, but they were still passed down through family ties when present.

But Pete couldn't do anything magical, and he hated the fact that everyone was just waiting for him to snap; _actually_ , most people were convinced that he already had, but he really didn't want to dwell on this anymore, so he decided to focus on thoughts of his mate instead.

Pete never expected to find his mate so soon, he was barely eighty-five, so he hadn't prepared for this at all, but now that it was happening, he was ecstatic and terrified all at once, and as he rushed toward Brendon's house, he couldn't decide if he wanted to throw up or fist pump the air, but thankfully - he decided to do neither for the time being.

Brendon was Pete's best friend, well - sort of his only friend; Ryan was kind to him as well, but he hadn't known him very long, only since he had moved covens, but Brendon had been there for him since day one.

For some reason, all the rumors about Pete's questionable sanity didn't bother Brendon at all, and he was the only one who would put up with Pete on a daily basis, even though Pete knew he tried his patience sometimes. Still, Pete could think of no one better to turn to with his recent discovery.

Pete had been scared that when Brendon found his mate, he would stop wanting to be friends with him, but luckily, that wasn't the case. They were still as close as ever, and Ryan was becoming a good friend as well.

Soon, Brendon's familiar house came into view, and Pete quickened his pace, because he wanted some time to talk with his friend before Bert needed him, and Pete didn't want to anger the coven leader by making Brendon - or was it Ryan that was supposed to show the new arrivals around - late.

Completely forgetting about the fact that Brendon had kicked him out of the house earlier, Pete busted in unannounced, much too eager to tell someone about his mate to even consider that he might be interrupting something.

~~~

" _Fuck_ Bren..." Ryan gasped out, arching his back as Brendon kissed teasingly around his hipbones, so close to where his lover wanted him to be, but not quite close enough.

"Someone's eager today," Brendon smirked, enjoying the desperate expression on his mate's face as he continued to avoid his straining cock, because everything was so much better when he drew it out.

"No shit - _ahh,_ " Ryan cut himself off with a choked moan when Brendon finally lowered his head down to Ryan's dick, sucking lightly to get his over talkative mate to shut up, even though he actually loved how vocal he was during sex.

 _"Oh my god..."_ Ryan scrabbled to get a hold on something, one hand fisted in the sheets while the other threaded its way into Brendon's hair, tugging harshly, which caused Brendon to emit a moan of his own around Ryan's cock.

 _"Please..."_ Ryan begged. It was obvious that he was desperate for more, but Brendon enjoyed being quite the tease,  so he was keeping Ryan's hips pinned down so he couldn't thrust upward like he wanted to.

"Patience love," Brendon cooed, removing his mouth from Ryan entirely while smirking slightly to himself as Ryan whined predictably.

Brendon couldn't keep this up for much longer though, because his own dick was throbbing painfully, and he wanted to fuck Ryan probably more than Ryan himself wanted him to, so he was really only torturing himself here. Reaching behind him for the conveniently placed bottle of lube, Brendon coated his fingers before leaning down and plundering Ryan's mouth while pressing one digit inside of him.

" _No_ \- I just want you, I want to feel it." Ryan broke away from the kiss with visible effort, and Brendon actually groaned at the sight of his mate's blown out pupils and his jaw slack with lust.

" _Fuck_ \- okay, just let me... _yeah_." Brendon slicked himself up as quickly as possible, which was nowhere near fast enough, and Ryan was making the task much harder than it should be - in more ways than one - by leaning up and sucking on Brendon's neck in that spot that he knew drove him wild.

" _Shit_ \- stop for a second," Brendon hissed, pinning Ryan to the mattress by his wrists, smiling as he felt Ryan's cock twitch at his actions. Ryan liked being held down, and even if he wasn't really into true dominance, he loved when Brendon took control, and although Ryan would never admit it out loud, his body's reactions betrayed him.

"I need you Bren..." Ryan pleaded, shifting as much as he could to try and force Brendon to move his cock from where it was resting against his thigh to another nearby area that would be much more pleasurable for the both of them.

" _God_ you are so desperate...you want me to fuck you huh?" Brendon couldn't help but draw this out just a little bit longer, because Ryan looked so _fucking_ _pretty_ like this, all wanton, and needy, and begging for his cock.

"Yes - _oh fuck yes_..." Ryan stared up at Brendon with wide eyes, and that was the last straw for Brendon. He finally pushed into Ryan with a deep groan, trying to keep quiet so he could hear the amazing sounds that were falling from Ryan's mouth.

" _More_ \- fuck me Brendon," Ryan gasped, shoving back against his dick as far as he could, trying to take him even deeper than he already was.

" _Shit_ baby..." Brendon moaned, pulling out before pushing back inside Ryan's tight heat, holding himself still once he was all the way in.

"Harder - _fuck_ , I need more." Ryan was tilting his hips upward, trying to find that perfect angle, and Brendon swore he could come just watching Ryan work himself on his cock, but Ryan wasn't pleased with his inaction, whining loudly as he clutched Brendon's hips, trying to force him to move.

"Flip over love," Brendon suited his actions to his words, reversing Ryan's position so he was on his hands and knees, and when Brendon sank back into Ryan, he knew he had hit his prostate this time.

 _"Oh god,"_ Ryan choked out, letting his head hang in between his arms as Brendon picked up his pace.

" _Fuck_ baby - you feel so _fucking_ good," Brendon muttered as pulled on his mate's hair, loving the way Ryan shuddered and clenched around his dick with every stroke.

"Don't stop - _please_ ," Ryan keened, and Brendon could tell by the tone of his voice that he was close already.

"I won't." And Brendon couldn't stop, even if he wanted to, because he was starting to feel the pleasant warmth in his stomach that meant he was approaching his own release as well, and he was beyond done with teasing his mate.

" _Oh fuck_ ," Ryan cried out as Brendon reached around him and began stroking his dick in time with each of his thrusts.

"So _fucking_ perfect," Brendon whispered against Ryan's shoulder, and the accompanying shiver from Ryan had Brendon seconds away from coming himself.

"Almost there - _so close_ ," Ryan gasped out in between moans. Brendon only bit down on the soft flesh of his neck in reply, not deep enough to make him bleed, but enough to leave a mark, letting everyone know that Ryan was his.

That was the final straw for Ryan, and with a throaty cry, he came all over Brendon's hand, trembling softly as Brendon continued to fuck him through his orgasm.

" _Oh god_ \- I'm gonna -"

"Brendon, I need to - _oh fuck_ , I'm so sorry!" And of course Pete walked in on the two lovers just then, because they had forgotten to lock the door, and apparently Pete had ignored all of the loud noises coming from the bedroom and decided it would the perfect time to waltz right in without knocking.

"Pete? What the _fuck_ \- get out!" Brendon practically screamed, unable to control his rudeness since he had thought that Pete had gotten the hint earlier when they had told him they needed some alone time, and the last thing he expected was to be interrupted.

"Yeah - _okay_ , I'll be in the living room, but I do really need to talk to you -"

"Out - _now_!" Brendon growled, and with a startled squeak, Pete darted out of sight, neglecting to close the door behind him.

And even though Brendon had been so close that he was seconds away from coming, having Pete walk in on them was basically the biggest boner killer ever, so with a frustrated sigh, Brendon pulled out of Ryan and angrily tugged on his pants.

"Well that was awkward..." Ryan chuckled nervously as he searched for his own discarded clothing.

"Tell me about it, I guess we need to be better about locking the god damn door."

"I can still finish you off," Ryan offered, but Brendon shook his head no.

"I can't do that with Pete in the next room...god knows he heard too much already," Brendon huffed out, and even though he loved Pete, he kind of wanted to strangle him right now.

"Just tell him to leave and come back later," Ryan suggested with a shrug.

"No...I should deal with him now so we don't have to worry about being interrupted again," Brendon grumbled, pulling on his shirt before heading out of the room with Ryan trailing behind him.

"I'm so sorry Brendon, I didn't mean to do that - the door was open, and I was so excited I forgot to knock, and -"

"Pete, it's fine," Brendon smiled down at his friend, because even though he was still ticked off at him, Brendon had a soft spot for Pete, and it was hard to stay mad at the younger vampire for long.

"So you aren't angry with me?" Pete turned to Brendon with his trademark puppy dog eyes, erasing all lingering traces of irritation from Brendon's heart.

"No I'm not, and I'm sorry for yelling at you. Just try not to make a habit of it." Brendon ruffled Pete's hair affectionately to show that there was indeed no hard feelings between the two.

"So guess what?" Pete basically squealed as Brendon settled back down to listen to whatever had been so important that Pete had to break into his house and tell him right away.

"I don't know Pete, tell me," Brendon said when Pete didn't continue speaking, instead just sitting there with a gleeful look on his face.

"No - you have to guess!" Pete exclaimed, bouncing up and down in his seat by this point.

"Uh - _fuck_ , I don't know Pete, just spit it out."

"I found my mate!" Pete announced proudly.

"No way - _really_? How? You already know everyone here, who is it?" Ryan asked curiously.

"Oh, well I don't know his name, but he's new here. I didn't actually talk to him, but he's with Bert right now - speaking of that, Bert wants you to show him around when he's done with him, that's the other reason I'm here." Pete was smiling so hard it looked like it hurt, and even though Brendon wanted to be ecstatic for his friend, he had to be realistic here.

"Are you sure he's your mate Pete, and not just a cute boy?" Brendon pressed, because even with all Pete had been through, he had maintained a very childish outlook on the world, which Brendon wasn't sure he would ever grow out of.

"I'm pretty sure, but that's why I came to find you first. I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I look at him, and I kind of felt like I got hit with a hammer when I saw his eyes, but in a good way - _you know_?" Pete's grin faded slightly when Brendon unintentionally grimaced, replaced by a puzzled expression.

"Well did he say anything to you, are you his mate too?" Brendon continued to ask questions, trying to get to the bottom of this.

"I don't know if he actually saw me, he only glanced my way for a second. I was hiding in the alley behind Bert's house because I wanted to see the new arrivals," Pete admitted guiltily.

"Arrivals - as in more than one person?"

"Mhmm - my mate and some other dude with crazy hair, like an afro!"

"Okay Pete - back up, so when your eyes met, did he react at all? Did he look startled or something?" Brendon didn't want to crush Pete's happiness, but he had to make sure that this was real before his friend got hurt, and he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach about this entire situation.

"Well... _no_ , like I said, I don't think he knew I was there," Pete shrugged nonchalantly.

"But if you met his eyes, he would have known too, unless..." Ryan trailed off, shooting a worried look in Brendon's direction, which Pete remained blissfully unaware of. Brendon knew exactly what Ryan was thinking, and even though he hoped it wasn't true, he was going to have to speak with this other vampire if he wanted to discover what had really happened.

"Okay Pete, I am going to go show them around like Bert wants, and I will find out if he is your mate or not, how does that sound?" Brendon stood up as he spoke, trying to calm his hair down in the nearby mirror so it wouldn't be completely obvious that he had just been having sex.

"I want to come with you!" Pete exclaimed, and Brendon scrambled for a believable excuse he could give to Pete to make him change his mind.

"I know you do, but..."

"But I need some help making dinner while Brendon is gone. Why don't you stay with me Pete, and when Brendon gets back, we can bring your mate a hot meal?" Ryan cut in, earning himself a grateful smile from Brendon.

"Yeah okay! He did look really hungry anyway." Pete dashed off into the kitchen, leaving Brendon and Ryan alone for a minute.

"Poor kid..." Ryan mumbled, staring after their friend with sad eyes.

"We don't know it isn't his mate for sure, maybe this new guy just has a really good poker face," Brendon tried to convince himself more than Ryan, because it was pretty obvious from what Pete had told him that this vampire hadn't felt the same bond that Pete did, which meant he was destined for another mate, but Brendon didn't want to believe it.

It happened of course, not very often, but enough that it wasn't too rare of an occurrence. His old best friend, Billie Joe, had suffered from this, mating with someone who had already found her other half, and Brendon hadn't seen him since he had run away from the coven, unable to face the girl who would never want him back.

He wouldn't wish this on anyone, but especially not Pete - sweet, innocent Pete. Brendon had always been overprotective of his friend, but this was something he couldn't save him from, even though he wanted nothing more than to shield him away from the world.

Pete had already been through enough pain; he didn't need this, not after dealing with his insane mother for years and being shunned by the rest of the coven.

Brendon hated the way everyone acted toward Pete, and even though he was pretty odd, he had never done anything to deserve the horrible way he was treated. Brendon wasn't sure if Pete was cursed with his mother's affliction or not; he definitely wasn't all there, but that could be a product of his fucked up childhood, and it wasn't necessarily a sign of mental failure. Either way, Brendon didn't care, because Pete was a good person, and that was all that mattered, so Brendon had always gone out of his way to be kind to the strange vampire.

"Well...we won't know until you talk to him," Ryan tried to fake a cheerful tone, but Brendon knew his mate too well for that, and he could tell that Ryan was just as worried as he was.

"I better get going anyway before Bert gets upset with me." Brendon pressed a swift kiss to Ryan's lips before heading for the door.

"Good luck baby," Ryan called after him.

Brendon wasn't the one who needed the luck though - it was Pete, because Brendon truly wished that Pete had found his mate so he would have someone to love and care for him like his mother never could, but all signs were pointing to another cruel twist of fate for poor Pete Wentz, and Brendon wasn't sure how much more his friend could take before he snapped under the strain of so much sorrow.


	13. FML I Have Never Written A Fic With This Many Characters Before

Lindsey stalked angrily up the stairs leading to the church that sat innocently above the coven she had recently been forced to move to, and even though she was trying her best to let go of her irrational fury so she wouldn't scare away this vampire she had been ordered to look for, she couldn't seem to dampen down her rage.

Lindsey wasn't even one hundred percent sure what had caused her to explode in the first place, because Bert wasn't the root of the problem, she just took out her emotions on him because he was there, and it was _convenient_.

Despite how it may seem, Lindsey actually cared a great deal for Bert; he had been one of her mother's closest friends, and he was like a second father to her when she was growing up. Even though he was stuffy and overbearing, she didn't despise him for it, that was just the way his generation of vampires acted, and she deserved to be treated like a child after how badly she had fucked up with her own coven.

Lindsey was quite young to lead a coven, she was only a little over five hundred, but when her parents - who were the previous rulers - had been killed in the purge, everyone had turned to Lindsey for leadership, and she gladly accepted the responsibility of caring for the survivors.

Her coven had been relatively lucky during the purge; _yes_ \- they suffered heavy casualties, but they weren't completely destroyed like so many others, and they managed to fight off the humans once the initial shock of their attack had subsided.

But that luck didn't last - _of course_ it didn't, because humans would never let the vampires live in peace. Eventually the hunters had found them again, and Lindsey hadn't been able to defeat them this time.

This assault wasn't nearly as bad as the purge had been, but her coven had been caught unaware, and most of the stronger vampires had been wiped out during the last human raid, leaving only the young and inexperienced who had yet to witness such a strike against their home.

In the end, she had no choice but to run, taking as many of her people with her as she could, but it wasn't enough. So many had fallen, even the ones who had survived carried emotional wounds, and she would live with that guilt for the rest of her life.

If anything, Lindsey was furious with herself for failing in her role as coven leader; she should have seen the attack coming, she should have done more to prevent it from ever happening in the first place, but it had been so long since the humans had found them that she had grown complacent, and her people had paid the price.

She owed Bert a massive debt for taking them in, because if he hadn't, she would have nowhere to go, and her coven would have been homeless and starving, but even though she was eternally grateful for his kindness, she just couldn't seem to stop being angry at him, at herself, at _everything_ , but especially at the humans that had driven her people to the point of extinction.

 _Yes_ \- that was the true source of the never ending hatred that burned in Lindsey's heart, and the plague that was humanity had changed Lindsey from a loving leader into a bitter version of who she used to be. She still cared a great deal for her people, but she wanted - _no_ \- she needed vengeance.

Because even though they now had a place to stay once again, it wasn't the same, and it never would be. Bert's ridiculous rules were trying - he wouldn't even let them hunt on their own, and she knew her people were struggling to adjust to the changes just as much as she was.

Lindsey just wanted everything to go back to the way it was before the purge, when they were accepted and free, not the hunted fugitives that they were now forced to live like. Of course, that would never happen, but that didn't make accepting it any easier, which was the only excuse Lindsey had for her foul temper.

She really shouldn't have been so rude to Bert though, and she already regretted her impromptu outburst. She would have to apologize to him when she returned, even though she knew he would just brush it off like it was nothing, it was still the thought that counted, and Bert deserved better than to be snapped at for no reason.

Lindsey had reached the church by this point, so she softened her footsteps so the vampire wouldn't flee at the sound...what was his name again - _Gerald_?

But when Lindsey entered the main room, it was empty, and even with her advanced senses, she couldn't find a trace of the vampire anywhere.

Heaving a loud sigh, Lindsey began to search the rest of the building, but she didn't see anyone in the abandoned church, and Bert had commanded her not to leave the premises.

Maybe he had left when he couldn't find his brother - either that or the hunters had caught him, which Lindsey truly hoped wasn't the case. Those poor boys had suffered enough, and they didn't deserve the pain of losing such a close companion after all they had been through.

There was nothing she could do about it now though, so she really had no choice but to return to the coven and hope that Gerald - or was it _Jared_ \- had managed to escape, and he was simply hiding out in a safer location. Maybe Bert would let them search for him tomorrow, even though he hated to let anyone go into town, he had to make an exception for this.

Thinking about another vampire out there scared, and alone, and maybe hurt only made Lindsey's temper even worse. Humans had no right to treat them like wild animals that needed to be put down on sight, if anything - they were the beasts that should be condoned to that fate.

As Lindsey descended the steps back toward her new home, she sent up a silent prayer for the missing vampire, hoping that - _for once_ \- the gods would answer her.

~~~

Brendon hurried towards Bert's house, trying to decide what he was going to say to the new arrivals when he got there. He couldn't exactly just blurt out what was running through his head. He was pretty sure that saying _"hey - so my best friend mated with you, and even though I don't think you feel the same way, he is a pretty great guy, so maybe give him a chance?"_ would not make the best first impression, but Brendon wasn't very good at beating around the bush.

Hopefully the stranger would at least be unmated, or - even though Brendon would never wish this on anyone - his mate had been killed earlier on, and he would be willing to try and find some affection in his heart for Pete, because that was the best he could hope for right now.

This whole situation was fucked though, because if Pete had made enough eye contact to mate with this stranger, then he should have felt it too, but apparently he hadn't, and Brendon didn't want to return to his friend with bad news, but he couldn't exactly lie to him either.

Brendon was still holding out hope that Pete just had a crush on this guy, and he wasn't really his mate, but the sensations that Pete had described sounded exactly the way Brendon had felt when he saw Ryan for the first time...

Brendon would never forget that day; he had been exhausted, and scared, and hungry when they finally reached the New Jersey coven, and he had just wanted to be left alone to drown in his sorrow and mourn all of the friends he had lost.

Gruesome images of dead bodies and screams of the dying wouldn't leave his head, and if Brendon was on his own, he would have collapsed ages ago and just given up, but he wasn't alone, he had to stay strong for Pete and everyone else that had escaped the carnage.

Brendon was hurting badly, even though he hadn't received any physical wounds, but his heart ached as if it had been pierced with a bullet, so the last thing he wanted to do was socialize with a new coven of vampires right now.

He should have been able to do more...he should have stayed and fought with his friends, but he had ran like a coward, even though he had only been trying to save Pete, who had been staying at his house that night because his mother had been in a foul mood.

When the first sounds of fighting had broken out, Brendon had taken Pete and bolted, planning on hiding his friend somewhere safe while he went back and helped fend off the hunters. He had left Pete in a nearby forest with strict orders to stay there until he had returned before rushing toward the coven as quickly as his feet could carry him.

By the time Brendon had reached his home, it had been too late, and all he was met with was gore and despair. Brendon had stumbled over the bloody corpses of two of his close friends, Jimmy and Chantal, who had been inseparable in life, and apparently also in death.

That was when Brendon had lost it, collapsing next to his brethren as bitter tears streaked down his cheeks, letting out a tortured cry that would surely alert the hunters to his presence. He knew they were still close by, he could hear the crack of gunshots and the choked exclamations of pain, but he couldn't move from the place where his friends had fallen.

And of course, Brendon couldn't think of Chantal and Jimmy without recalling Billie Joe, who had been another close childhood friend. He hadn't seen Billie in years though...not since he had admitted that Chantal was his mate after consuming a bit too much alcohol one night.

Brendon had no idea that Billie had been hiding this for so long; Jimmy and Chantal had known they were mated ever since childhood, and they had grown up together, changing from best friends into lovers without anyone ever discovering Billie's secret, but when it had all spilled out, Brendon began to see the signs of Billie's affection that he had passed off before as simple friendship.

Billie had left the coven not long after that, unable to face the pitying stares and awkward tension between him and Jimmy, and even though his heart was broken, Brendon was glad that he had avoided the fate that had befallen so many of his people.

Brendon had never faced death before; he had been born after the purge, and he had lived his entire life without losing anyone close to him, but now he understood the haunted look in the older vampires eyes, and he knew his own would carry that same dull sheen for the rest of his life.

Brendon should have been cut down there, and he would have been just fine with that fate, but it was Lindsey who found him first, ushering him away to safety even though he pleaded to be left alone to die with his friends.

Brendon still hadn't truly accepted the fact that they were gone, the wound was still too raw and fresh, and they weren't the only companions he had lost - just the _closest_.

So when Ryan had approached him with a shy smile and a wet rag to wipe his travel stained face with once he entered the New Jersey coven, Brendon had been prepared to snap at him to leave him alone, but that was before their eyes met, and all of Brendon's pain and sorrow had been washed away by the intense love that welled up in his heart when he realized that this was his mate.

That had only been one short year ago, but now Brendon could hardly remember his life without Ryan in it. Ryan had helped him in so many ways, and Brendon hated to imagine how much more fucked up he would be without his perfect mate.

He would always miss his friends terribly, and he still dreamed about that awful night, but Ryan made it all bearable - he made life worth living again simply by existing.

Brendon wanted that for Pete, because if anyone deserved true love, it was the sweet misunderstood boy that everyone treated like shit for no good reason, but from the looks of it, Pete had gotten fucked over again, but maybe he hadn't, and his mate really was waiting inside for him.

But when he knocked on Bert's door and was granted entrance inside the humble abode, Brendon's heart sank into his feet, because he could tell from a glance that Pete's mate had already found his other half; he didn't even have to speak with them, it was obvious by the way the taller one with the afro had his arms wrapped around the lanky vampire, and in the way the two shared a secret glance before greeting him shyly, because that was how Brendon looked at Ryan.

Brendon plastered on a fake smile and tried to pretend like he wasn't cursing the unfairness of the world for doing this to Pete, because it wasn't their fault that they were already mated - it wasn't _anyone's_ fault, and Brendon really didn't want to freak them out by acting hostile toward them for no good reason, so he tried to act as naturally as possible.

Once introductions were out of the way, and Brendon had learned that Pete's mate was named Mikey, and the other vampire was Ray, Brendon showed them around the coven, hoping the entire time that Ryan was managing to keep Pete occupied and that his friend wasn't going to pop up before he had a chance to speak with him privately.

As he continued the tour, Brendon confirmed the fact that they were indeed mates - not that he needed to, but better safe than sorry, and once he had them settled into their new home, he headed back toward his own dwelling with weighted feet and an even heavier heart.

~~~

Gerard was doing his best to try and sleep; the sun had already risen, and he should have dozed off ages ago, but shutting his eyes was a rather difficult task when his stomach was literally churning with worry over his little brother and best friend.

He had waited in the church for as long as he dared, but he had been frightened that the hunters would find him there, and he couldn't risk being caught in such an exposed area, so he had no choice but to flee after waiting for an hour with no sign of either Mikey or Ray.

He didn't know where they could possibly be, but they weren't at the church - that was for sure, and Gerard didn't have time to scour the town before the sun rose, so he had stowed away in the underground sewer pipes for the night.

The smell down here was abysmal, and it was doing nothing to help Gerard's nervous stomach, but he didn't have the luxury of searching for a better place to spend the day, and he had slept in worse places before.

He wasn't sure if he was going to get any rest today though, not with the way his brain was producing worst case scenarios about what could have happened to Mikey and Ray. Maybe the hunters had found them after Gerard had shaken them off his trail, or maybe Mikey had managed to convince Ray to search for Gerard, and now they were lost somewhere in the city, which would make them almost impossible to find.

 _No_ \- he had to stop thinking this way; they probably had just left, like Gerard himself had when he couldn't find them. They were hopefully safely ensconced somewhere out of the sun at the moment, and tomorrow, Gerard would return to the church and they would be there.

He had left a small sign in the left corner of the room, something only Mikey would notice. He had stacked three rocks, one on top of the other from largest to smallest, which they had used before as a signal when one of them had to leave for a time without explanation. It was a simple thing, but if Mikey saw it, he would know Gerard had been there.

Gerard cursed his own stupidity at letting them getting separated like that, but there hadn't seemed to be a better option at the time, and his plan should have worked...

It was Gerard's fault this had happened though, and he knew it. He was an idiot for staying with Frank, because maybe if he had headed straight to the church once he had healed, he might not have missed them, if they had ever even made it to their rendezvous spot in the first place that is...

And although Gerard felt guilty for dallying with a human, he couldn't quite bring himself to regret it, and even though Frank was really one giant mind fuck which Gerard would be better off without, if he could go back in time, Gerard wouldn't have avoided his house.

Now that the initial shock of finding his mate had worn off, Gerard was more intrigued by Frank than terrified of the complications this potential relationship could bring, which might have just been a side effect of his sleep deprived mind, because Gerard knew he had been cursing the gods for making his mate a human just a few hours ago, but if this was destined to be his fate, at least Frank didn't seem too bad - as far as humans went that is.

 _Oh fuck it_ \- Frank wasn't just an okay person, he actually seemed pretty _fucking_ perfect, besides the fact that he wasn't a vampire, but Gerard's life had never been easy, so he didn't expect it to start working that way now.

Frank was something else though; everything from his compassionate nature to his beautiful bone structure had struck a chord in Gerard, and even if he wasn't his mate, Gerard would still be attracted to him.

Gerard just couldn't get Frank out of his head - _literally_ \- he could feel the bundle of emotions that was Frank lodged in the back of his brain. He was sleeping soundly at the moment, and Gerard wished he was next to him right now instead of in this disgusting sewer.

Gerard had no fucking clue what he was going to do about this whole mess, but for right now, he didn't want to worry about it, he would much rather recall the way Frank's lips felt pressed against his own, or the soft little moans that fell from his mouth when Gerard bit his neck.

He wanted to see Frank again, and if it wasn't for the fact that the sun was out right now and he would die if he went outside, Gerard would probably be at Frank's door already. He had no idea what he would say to him when he got there...but that was beside the point.

Gerard was really beginning to wonder if there was some way he could make this work, because like it or not, he was bonded to Frank now, and that wasn't something that just went away, not to mention that if he didn't find some way to be around him, Gerard might go insane - _well_ , even more insane than he already was.

When Gerard ignored the awful thoughts of Frank's limited mortality, and the fact that he could never truly mate with Gerard, this whole situation didn't seem so terrible after all. Maybe Frank could actually fall in love with him - it would be better than _nothing_ , and Gerard would take whatever he could get when it involved Frank.

Because Gerard knew he would never forget that beautiful man, and even if he did manage to develop some semblance of love for another vampire, it would never be as intense as what he was feeling for Frank right now. He might not know anything about him, but his mind was joined to his, and even if Gerard avoided Frank for the rest of his life, this wasn't something that would fade with time and distance, so Gerard wasn't going to fight it.

Actually, Gerard had managed to glean a few small facts about Frank: he was a veterinarian, and an altruistic soul, not to mention an amazing lay, but that just made Gerard ponder all the other aspects that made up the person that was Frank.

Gerard wanted to know every minute detail about Frank; he wanted to spend hours with him, simply soaking up every word that fell from his gorgeous lips. He wanted Frank to trust him, love him, accept him, and even though he realized that the odds of any of that happening were slim to none, right now, he didn't want to ponder all the pitfalls that would open up under his feet if he tried to forge a relationship with Frank.

Gerard had to see him again, just to find out if he had a chance of fitting into Frank's life; he knew it would be hard - borderline _impossible_ actually, and he still had no idea if Frank was even attracted to males or not, but Gerard was desperate to find out. If it all crashed and burned, at least he could say that he tried, and he could die with one less regret.

Gerard was truly fucked, and he knew it. If he had any brains in his head at all, he would leave this town and try to pretend like Frank had never existed, but that was impossible now, and Gerard was so tired of running.

~~~

"This is so fucked up..." Sam sighed as he collapsed onto the crappy hotel bed after pulling off his boots. He and his brother had finally given up on their search for the strange vampire after the sun had risen, because if he was still somewhere out in the open, he was dead by now.

"What do you mean? We found our vamp, he just got away tonight. We will get him tomorrow for sure," Dean grunted as he copied Sam's actions and collapsed onto his own mattress.

"I don't think that is the vampire that has been killing people Dean," Sam sighed.

"Why the _hell_ not? He's here - in a city where multiple vamp kills have occurred, and that's all the proof I need."

" _Yeah_...but those murders were brutal, and they looked like the work of a rogue. That vampire definitely hasn't reached that point yet - not to mention there weren't any bodies found tonight," Sam pointed out, because he had called the police station on their way back to the hotel, just to make sure, and no one had reported any suspicious deaths - not _yet_ anyway.

"He didn't get the chance to kill because we scared him off, either that - or he's dead, and we just couldn't find his corpse in the dark," Dean huffed, obviously not wanting to complicate this situation any more than it already was.

"We searched the entire river bed twice Dean...if he was there, we would have seen him," Sam retorted back grumpily.

"So you are saying there is more than one vamp in this tiny town?" Dean sighed, rolling over so he could observe his brother's expression when he spoke.

"Well _maybe_ \- there has always been rumors that a coven is hidden here."

"You know only Bobby believes that, and until now, there hasn't been any vamp kills in this city for ages," Dean pointed out, causing Sam to sigh in frustration.

"I know that, but Bobby is rarely wrong...and it doesn't matter either way. I just don't think he's the vampire who has been killing everyone. He ran from us Dean, even when he had the jump on us and you know it. He could have ripped out our throats before we even knew he was there, but he didn't."

"So maybe there are two vamps here, or even a whole freaking coven - _who cares_? We gank any vamps we come across - end of story." Dean shut his eyes to prove his point, but Sam wasn't done arguing just yet.

"I just don't want us to kill the wrong vampire and then leave while the real murderer is still out there."

"Well we will know if he isn't the right one if the killings keep happening after he's dead," Dean grumbled into his pillow.

"If there is a whole coven here...we might need backup," Sam mused to himself.

"Dude there isn't - just go the fuck to sleep okay?" Dean grumbled irritably.

"Fine..." Same reluctantly agreed, but just because he had dropped his point for now didn't mean he wasn't thinking about it.

He was positive that the vampire they had run into tonight wasn't the rogue they were searching for, and the implications of that fact were making him nervous. If there was a whole nest of vampires hiding in this city, the presence of two hunters might draw them out, and Sam didn't want to be caught unaware by a hoard of blood thirsty monsters.

Actually, the more he thought about the black haired vampire that they had shot down, the more convinced he was that he had seen him somewhere before. Sam had run into hundreds of their kind over the years, but this one seemed slightly familiar.

He couldn't place where he had seen him though - or _when_ for that matter, so after wracking his brain for a good five minute, Sam gave up on that train of thought and decided to focus on sleep instead. Maybe he would remember him in the morning, and even if he didn't, Dean was right - they would kill any vampires they encountered, and they wouldn't stop until they were finally eradicated from the world forever.


	14. Butt Raping Aliens

Frank was jolted out of what might have been the best sleep of his entire life by an angry pounding on his bedroom door, which was the first strange occurrence of what was going to be a morning full of them, Frank just didn't know that yet; he barely even knew where he was at the moment.

He just wanted whoever was disturbing his slumber to leave him the _fuck_ alone so he could resume his pleasant dreams, but the person on the other side of the door obviously hadn't received the memo that Frank wasn't ready to get up yet.

"Frank - wake the _fuck_ up right now or I'm coming in there!" Jamia's familiar voice called out, ruining Frank's attempt at falling back asleep.

Jamia was Evan's sister, and he had only hired her on as a secretary because of his best friend's pleading to get her out of the house, but she had actually turned out to be an invaluable asset to his practice. She had a sharp mind and a way with people that Frank just couldn't emulate, and over time, he gave her more and more responsibilities, along with a key to the clinic so she could have access to the paperwork whenever he wasn't home, which he was severely regretting right now.

"What the hell are you doing here Jamia?" Frank croaked out, still not making an effort to get out of bed, or even open his eyes just yet.

"Waking up your sorry ass - that's what! It's already eight o' clock, and the patients are going to arrive any minute," she sighed in exasperation, her words finally giving Frank some motivation to move when what she had said sunk into his fuzzy brain.

"What the _fuck_ \- it can't be?" Frank mumbled to himself, but when he turned his gaze to the old alarm clock sitting on top of his dresser, he saw that Jamia wasn't lying, and Frank had somehow managed to sleep in, which was not a regular occurrence for him at all - _actually_ , he couldn't recall the last time this had happened, but it was probably back in college.

"Are you getting up?" Jamia yelled, punctuating her question with a few more raps on the door, just for good measure.

" _Fuck_ \- yes I am! Have the interns take the clients they can handle, just the yearly shots and shit, and I'll be right down!" Frank answered back, trying to keep the rising panic out of his voice so Jamia wouldn't be tempted to come in and see what was wrong. For some reason, Frank was naked, even though he always slept in some form of clothing; maybe he had gotten too hot in his sleep last night and removed them. Either way, he could not let Jamia see him this way.

"You are so lucky you have me around," Frank heard Jamia mutter as she stalked away from his room to go deliver his message, and he breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that she hadn't just barged in, because he wouldn't have put that past her.

Frank was shocked at himself for not waking up sooner; even with his late night, he never slept past six in the morning, and he should have heard his alarm at the very least, but apparently he had been more tired than he thought.

Frank got his second surprise of the day when he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and basically ended up collapsing to the ground when a hot spike of pain shot up his back.

"What the hell?" Frank groaned weakly, trying to stretch out his aching muscles, but the extra movement only made the fiery burn worse.

Frank remembered this feeling, but there was no way it could be what he was thinking, still - what other explanation was there? The only time Frank had every experienced anything like this was after a good fuck, but he had stayed home alone all evening and fallen asleep watching Criminal Minds... _hadn't he_?

Limping over to his dresser as quickly as he could, Frank checked the spot where he always kept his vibrator, but it hadn't moved, and Frank was pretty sure he would remember using it, it wasn't like he had gotten drunk last night or anything... _right_? Plus, he never felt like this after using his toy; it may be a decent substitute, but it wasn't the real thing, and this was the kind of ache only a real dick could provide.

But even though Frank was positive he would be able to recall taking it up the ass, the sharp little bursts of discomfort were not going away, and Frank knew his mattress wasn't crappy enough to give him this kind of back pain, leaving Frank to wonder if he was losing his mind, because only crazy people didn't remember getting fucked, and he highly doubted that someone had broken into his house and roofied him last night.

Frank checked his phone messages, just in case he had ended up inviting someone over, not that he could even begin to fathom who that might be, but there was nothing there, leaving Frank completely stumped as to what the _fuck_ had happened to him.

But Frank didn't have time to worry about this right now though, because he was late to work, and even though this was really freaking him out, he needed to pull himself together and get through today before he sought some medical help or something.

Dragging his aching ass into the bathroom so he could tidy himself up before going downstairs, Frank received surprise number three when he glanced in the mirror, because along with the messy bed head and bloodshot eyes he had been expecting to see, he was met with a score of hickeys all over his neck, one in particular was absolutely brutal.

" _Holy shit_..." Frank breathed out, too stunned to do anything but stare at his abused skin in horror.

This was concrete proof that someone was here last night, and Frank must have gotten fucked by them, but why the _hell_ couldn't he remember anything? He couldn't even think of anyone he would have wanted to come over in the first place - much less someone he would end up in bed with.

Prodding at the worst bruise delicately, Frank hissed at the hot wash of pain that erupted down his neck. Whoever had made the mark had actually broken the skin, and it really fucking hurt.

This was so fucked up, Frank couldn't even comprehend it, so he did the only thing he could think of and pushed it to the back of his mind before he drove himself insane.

Pulling on a never worn turtleneck to hide his abused skin before throwing his white coat over it, Frank headed down to the clinic while doing his best not to have a panic attack, but if any situation called for one, this was _definitely_ it.

Frank spent the entire day pondering what the _fuck_ could have happened to him and why he couldn't remember it, but he kept coming up blank, and he was giving himself a headache trying to retrace the evening's events, getting nowhere in the process.

Jamia noticed something was wrong immediately of course, but Frank brushed her off, blaming a bad night's sleep for his distant behavior. There was no way he could actually tell her the truth; she would probably have him committed if he did, not that Frank would blame her, he was debating doing it himself if he didn't figure this whole mess out.

The day passed by quickly since Frank spent most of it deep in thought, and before he knew it, the last client was walking out the door, leaving Frank alone with his confusing thoughts.

After letting the few dogs he had staying at the clinic run free in the backyard for a bit, during which he noticed an odd stain on his porch that hadn't been there before, which was just another unexplainable event to add on top of his ever growing pile, Frank made sure all the animals were fed and watered before heading up to his room.

Removing the itchy turtleneck that he had been forced to wear to cover his hickeys, Frank changed into a simple white t-shirt before collapsing onto his couch with a disgruntled sigh.

His back pain had subsided over the day, thanks to a large amount of Advil mostly, but that didn't mean Frank had forgotten about it, quite the opposite actually.

This whole situation was beyond crazy; people didn't just forget about being fucked, not unless they were blackout drunk or drugged, and Frank was pretty sure he had been neither. He would have woken up with a hangover or something if that was the case, and his memory of the rest of the night was crystal clear.

As far as he could recall, he hadn't been able to sleep, so he had flipped on the television and watched Criminal Minds for about an hour, and that was it... _no_ \- wait, something else had happened. Frank had heard a noise downstairs, and he went to go check on the dogs, but then - _nothing_. His memory hit a blank wall, like it had been erased with one of those weird devices the Men In Black always carried, which did nothing to alleviate Frank's growing panic.

Maybe someone had been in his house, and that was the sound he had heard that had drawn him downstairs, but that still didn't explain how Frank had ended up getting fucked by them. Rapists didn't usually break into places to find their victims, that was too risky, and who the _fuck_ would want to go to so much trouble just to get in Frank's ass?

Maybe aliens were real, and Frank had been a victim of anal probing...okay that theory was a bit far-fetched, but Frank was desperate for answers here, even if it did involve extraterrestrial beings.

Frank needed to find out what had happened last night, but he didn't have security cameras installed in his house - they were too expensive for his modest income, and without video evidence, Frank was at a loss for how to discover what had occurred.

Maybe he should go to the hospital and get checked out - _no_ , that wouldn't help him; he already knew he had been fucked, just not who had done the actual fucking, which they wouldn't be able to answer, at least, not without expensive DNA testing, which may or may not produce any results.

Burying his face into his hands with a tortured groan, Frank began to resign himself to the fact that he might never discover exactly what had happened to him last night, no matter how desperately he was craving answers.

This just didn't make sense at all though, and Frank hated when he couldn't understand things. There was absolutely no logical reason for someone to do what they had done to Frank last night, and even if a psycho had decided to rape him - why couldn't Frank remember anything about it?

Frank tried to rationalize this situation, but it was only confusing him further. If someone had made the effort to break into to his house, they wouldn't have had time to drug him, and if they had somehow managed to get something into his system, Frank would still have his memories from the initial confrontation; not to mention the fact that none of his windows or locks were broken, so they would have had to be a freaking ghost to get inside without leaving any traces.

His head didn't hurt, and he wasn't carrying any bruises or cuts - besides the slight fingerprint shaped ones on his hips, and those were pretty self-explanatory, so he couldn't have suffered a severe enough trauma to cause memory loss. It didn't even seem like Frank had fought back; wouldn't he have received some wounds if he had been resisting - which only led to the conclusion that Frank had _consented_...which didn't make any sense at all.

Frank just wanted someone to talk this out with, maybe then they would reassure him that he wasn't crazy, and they could come up with a reasonable explanation for this entire mind fuck, but he couldn't do that without any of his friends believing he was insane, or calling the cops on this maybe rapist - if not both, and even though Frank truly needed to get to the bottom of this, he refused to become the talk of the town in the process, because that might negatively affect his practice, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Frank needed to forget about all of this for a second, just so he could have some time to calm down before he had an anxiety attack, which he hadn't been afflicted with in years, so he dug in the fridge for a cold beer, chugging it quickly before reaching for another. He knew that alcohol wasn't the solution for this problem, but it was a temporary fix, and that would have to be good enough for now.

~~~

Ryan knocked on the door to the Iero Veterinary Clinic excitedly, making sure to be gentle this time as Frank had requested. He had no problem convincing Brendon to leave the coven with him tonight; _actually_ , Brendon had seemed even more eager than Ryan to get away for a short time, probably so he could avoid breaking the bad news to Pete about his mate for just a little while longer.

When Brendon had returned from showing the newcomers around last night, Pete had already fallen asleep on their couch, and Brendon didn't have the heart to wake him, especially not when he knew how upset he was going to be when he learned his mate was already in love with someone else.

Ryan hurt for Pete as well; he couldn't begin to imagine how terrible his life would be if he had found Brendon, only to discover that he was already mated. Honestly, Ryan didn't think he would even want to live anymore, but he hoped that Pete would be able to bounce back from this somehow.

His worries about Pete were interrupted by a disheveled Frank, who pulled open the door with a goofy grin on his face.

"Hey - it's the cute dog guy," Frank slurred his words slightly, stepping aside so Ryan and Brendon could enter his home. It was obvious that he was drunk, and Ryan didn't even need to catch the whiff of alcohol on his breath to confirm it.

"Uh...if this is a bad time, we can come back another day," Brendon stammered out, obviously uncomfortable with Frank's inebriated state.

" _No_ \- it's _totally_ fine. I actually sort of forgot you were coming...but the dog - you want to see him right?" Frank continued talking, but Ryan was distracted by the large bruise on his neck, and he was pretty sure those were teeth marks as well.

"Bren," Ryan whispered, motioning with his eyes to the spot that had captured his attention, and he knew Brendon had noticed it when his mouth fell open in shock.

"Um... _yeah_ , we did come to see the dog. Do you want to go get him and we will wait here?" Brendon asked warily, and it was obvious to Ryan that he just wanted Frank to leave so he could talk with his mate privately.

"Sure - just give me a second," Frank shuffled off into another room, and Brendon shut the door behind him as an extra precaution.

"What the _fuck_ was that?" Brendon hissed out quietly.

"He got bit...but how, and by who, I don't know." Ryan sat down in one of the nearby chairs heavily.

"There is no way it could have been one of us, everyone was in the coven last night..." Brendon mumbled quietly.

"Maybe it was that rogue that Bert still can't seem to track down?" Ryan offered up the first solution that popped into his head.

"No way, that vampire has been killing people, and they always strike on the other side of town anyway..." Brendon shook his head in confusion.

"Then who could have done this to Frank?" Ryan exclaimed softly. He realized that he had only known the kind veterinarian for one day, but Ryan was a very caring person, and he already considered Frank his friend.

The fact that someone had bit him made his stomach roil painfully, and he wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. Feeding was supposed to a consensual act, and Ryan hated thinking of Frank pressed against a wall, terrified for his life as another vampire stole his blood.

Ryan knew that a lot of vampires didn't share his feelings on the matter, but he didn't hate humans like so many of his kind, and he had long ago gotten used to living off stolen hospital blood to uphold his beliefs.

"I don't know...but it's really none of our -" Brendon was interrupted by Frank reentering the room with the small white dog in his arms.

"He's doing a lot better, he can already walk on his leg again. Come into the other room - there are much comfier couches in there." Frank didn't wait for their answer before disappearing through the doorway, and Brendon and Ryan had no choice but to follow him.

Frank set the dog down gently before rummaging in the fridge and emerging with another beer. Ryan knew that Brendon had been about to tell him that whatever had happened to Frank was none of their business, but he couldn't just drop this.

"So Frank...how was your night?" Ryan asked casually as he stroked the dog's soft ears. Brendon rolled his eyes at Ryan's not so subtle attempts at discovering who had bitten Frank, but Ryan could tell that his mate was curious too.

"So _fucking_ weird...I think I got raped last night," Frank announced like he was simply commenting on the weather, and Ryan wondered how many beers he had consumed before they had arrived.

"Uh - _what_?" Brendon choked out, obviously not expecting that sort of response. They both knew that when a vampire fed, lust was evoked in both parties, Brendon just hadn't expected Frank to be so blunt about it, but he shouldn't have been surprised given Frank's inebriated state.

"Yeah man - it's so _fucking_ strange. I woke up and my ass really hurt, and I had all these hickeys, but I don't remember a _fucking_ thing. I'm pretty sure aliens did it," Frank nodded solemnly, and it took all the self-control Ryan possessed not to burst out laughing, even though this situation was the furthest thing from funny, it was actually pretty _fucking_ serious.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked warily, unsure of what else to say.

"Yeah I'm fine, except I think my heads fucked up, and it's just my luck that the first time I get fucked in three years, someone erased my mind - that's why I think aliens did it." Frank shrugged before polishing off the rest of his beer.

"So...you don't remember anything at all?" Ryan pressed one last time, even though he was aware that when a human was bitten by a vampire, the venom released into his blood would cause the entire night to be one big blank slate for him.

"Nope...I just remember watching Criminal Minds. Hey - maybe Dr. Reid came out of my TV and fucked me, except he seems more like a bottom actually..." Frank trailed off, apparently deep in thought over the sexual preferences of this Dr. Reid.

"Well...uh thanks for letting us see the dog. Would you mind keeping him here for a few more days? Brendon and I are thinking about adopting him after all, we just need some more time to discuss it," Ryan lied through his teeth, but he needed another excuse to come back and see Frank, just to make sure he was okay. By the lack of reaction from his mate, Ryan hoped that Brendon had caught on to his plan, because he knew there was no way Brendon would ever let him bring the dog back to the coven.

"Of course! I'm kind of getting attached to him anyway, so I might end up taking him if you don't," Frank grinned happily, standing up to pull Ryan into an unexpected hug.

"Thanks again - same time tomorrow then?" Ryan patted Frank on the back a few times before pulling away.

"Sounds good to me." Frank swayed on his feet without Ryan's body supporting him, and for a moment, Ryan thought he was going to fall over, but he regained his balance at the last second.

"Okay, try and get some rest Frank, and I think you might want to slow down on the beers." Ryan raised his eyebrow when he caught Frank glancing toward the fridge again. He understood that Frank had been through a lot today, but he didn't want him keeling over from alcohol poisoning.

"Yeah...you are probably right. I was just trying to forget about the butt raping aliens, but I can do that in my sleep," Frank giggled at his own statement.

"Come on - let me at least make sure you get into bed without breaking your neck." Ryan offered his arm, and Frank eagerly took it.

After Ryan had helped Frank up the stairs and into his room, he returned back to his mate with a sheepish expression on his face. The dog was no longer on the floor, so Ryan assumed that Brendon had placed him back in his cage while he had been occupied with Frank.

"I know you are going to be mad -" Ryan began, but Brendon cut him off.

"No, actually I'm not. I like Frank too for some reason, and I want to make sure he hasn't become some rogue vampire's play thing," Brendon admitted with a sigh, causing Ryan's face to light up.

"I think we should hang around for a bit, just to see if the vampire shows up again," Ryan suggested.

"Fine by me, but we can't stay here too long. Pete will wake up soon, and I don't want him rushing off to find Mikey before I get a chance to talk to him - not to mention we can't let Bert find out we snuck away again," Brendon pointed out.

"One hour?" Ryan put on his best puppy dog face, and he knew it was working when Brendon sighed heavily.

"Just one, then we go home to check up on Pete. We can come back after we make sure he's okay. I have a feeling this vampire won't show up until later anyway."

"I love you baby," Ryan cooed, pressing a swift kiss to his lips before pulling away. He was truly thankful to Brendon for supporting him in all of his crazy endeavors, and he wanted his mate to be aware of that fact.

"You better," Brendon chuckled softly before leaning in for another kiss.


	15. How Could Anyone Hate Ray Toro - Oh Wait, Pete Could

Gerard was running again, because he was a coward, and even though every muscle in his body was pulling him back toward Frank, he was stubbornly ignoring the sensation; instead, he forced his reluctant legs to carry him even farther away from the unforgettable man.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Frank again, because he _did_ \- more than _anything_ , but he was scared that Frank would reject him, and if he fucked things up with Frank, he didn't know what he would do with himself after that - probably lay down and wait for the sun to rise, even though that did seem a bit dramatic, but Frank had become everything to him ever since he had first looked in his eyes.

So Gerard had fled from Belleville before he could rethink his actions. He probably should have gone back to the church and waited to see if Mikey and Ray turned up, but in his panic over escaping the allure that was Frank, Gerard had managed to forget about his brother entirely.

Well not really _forget_ ; he could never forget about Mikey, but he had definitely succeeded in pushing him to the back of his mind once again. Frank seemed to be an expert at making everything else that didn't involve him irrelevant, even when he wasn't actually present.

Deep down, Gerard was truly worried about Mikey and Ray, but he was in no state to search the town for them, and he knew if he even attempted such a thing, he would end up back at Frank's clinic within thirty minutes, which was the one place he was trying to avoid.

Gerard just needed to get away, because maybe some distance would lessen the feeling of Frank's emotions in his head. They were a jumble of confusion right now, laced with worry and a little bit of fear. Everything was coming through sort of fuzzy to Gerard, but if he had to guess, he would say that Frank was drunk.

Which of course, made Gerard wonder why he was drinking, and what he was doing that involved alcohol. Maybe he was out with friends, or a boyfriend, maybe even a girlfriend. Gerard wished he was the one sharing a cup with Frank, but he had run away, and he was determined to stick with his decision to leave Frank alone for the night.

Gerard had no idea where he was going, but he knew he wasn't truly leaving; he couldn't abandon Mikey and Ray, so for the time being, he was just wandering aimlessly throughout the forest which blanketed the outskirts of town, trying to distract himself by observing the wild scenery with an idle eye.

Putting a few miles between him and Frank had helped a bit, but he still couldn't stop thinking about him, no matter how hard he tried, and it was getting to the point that even a stupid leaf reminded him of Frank; it's hazel brown color bringing his eyes to mind, and Gerard sort of wanted to smash his head against a tree until he started acting like his normal self again, not this sappy mess he was turning into.

Gerard knew he had decided to try and pursue some sort of relationship with Frank last night, but he had no idea how to do that. He was pretty sure that humans typically went on dates to get to know each other better, but working up the courage to approach him would have to happen first, and Gerard's limbs were trembling at the thought.

Gerard didn't know if he could pass himself off as a regular human, he had never even considered such a preposterous thing before, but he would attempt it for Frank - he would try to _fly_ if that was what it took to make Frank love him.

But that would only work for so long, and eventually, Frank would begin to question why Gerard could never go out during the day, not to mention it would be hard to resist the allure of Frank's blood if they spent any extended amounts of time together, but what else could he do? Gerard couldn't just waltz up to Frank and casually announce he was a vampire, that wouldn't go over well at all.

Even the task of pondering this was beginning to make Gerard feel sick, his stomach was roiling, and a light sweat had broken out on his brow.

Actually, now that Gerard noticed, his entire body was shaking, and it wasn't just because of nerves. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed him, and he was forced to sit down before he fell over.

" _Fuck_..." Gerard gasped out as he collapsed to the leaf covered floor with a soft groan. Something was wrong with him, and this could be really bad. He didn't have Mikey or Ray to drag him to safety this time, and Gerard had never felt so alone in his life. At least the night was still young yet, and he didn't have to worry about being trapped outside in the sun for quite some time.

And of course, when Gerard glanced around for a safe spot to wait out whatever this was, he wasn't even surprised to see flickering flames at the corner of his vision. He had almost forgotten about his strange hallucinations; he had been perfectly fine since he entered Belleville, as if it was the eye of the storm that was his madness, but now he had left, and they were returning full force.

Gerard wasn't able to deal with this right now, he _couldn't_ \- not by himself. He wanted Mikey, or Ray, but really - he needed _Frank_. He wished he could bury his face in his chest until this all went away, he ached to breathe in his unique scent and have Frank comfort him; he needed his mate right now, but because of this whole fucked up situation, Frank didn't even know he existed.

Gerard was so tired, and overwhelmed, and lonely, and he didn't think he could do this for much longer. Silent tears streamed down his face as the flames crept closer to him, but he didn't have the energy to move, so he simply sat there and waited for them to eventually consume him.

~~~

"I'm so sorry Pete, are you okay?" Brendon asked the younger vampire after he had finished his explanation of how Mikey was mated, but Pete didn't know how to respond yet.

Brendon and Ryan had returned home from wherever the _fuck_ they had been about twenty minutes ago, and when Brendon had sent Pete a sad look and informed him that they had something to tell him, Pete had been expecting something terrible - just not _this_.

He didn't know what to do, or say, so he did nothing; it seemed to take all of his energy to remember how to breathe, and he honestly wasn't sure how to begin to untangle what he was feeling.

This didn't make sense; it was as if Brendon's explanation had gotten all jumbled up and he was hearing a foreign language, even though the meaning was perfectly clear. He understood the words of course - he wasn't _stupid_ , but it was as if his emotions were a few steps behind his brain, and he didn't know how to react. He knew he should be sad - _heartbroken_ actually, but he just felt numb.

Pete had never imagined that this would happen to him, even though he knew it was a possibility; Billie Joe had suffered through this same situation, and even though Pete hadn't known him that well, he remembered it had driven him away from their coven entirely.

Pete had always pictured finding his mate to be a much happier experience; they would stare into each other's eyes, both of them instantly recognizing the other as their one true love. That would be it, and Pete would live happily ever after, even though he didn't think he would find his mate quite so soon - he was still very young for a vampire after all.

"Pete?" Ryan touched his shoulder gently, and it was only then that Pete realized he had been sitting on his friend's couch in utter silence for _fuck_ knows how long.

"I'm okay...I think. So, he won't love me, right - like _ever_?" Pete had to double check, because even though he hadn't spoken a word to Mikey, and he hadn't known his name until Brendon had told him, he was still head over heels for him.

"No...Ray is his mate, so he loves him," Brendon sighed heavily.

"But, I'm Mikey's mate too...so does that mean he can be with both of us?" Pete pressed onward, because he couldn't imagine his life without Mikey in it now that he had mated with him.

"No Pete, that's not how it works. You can be his friend, but if I were you, I would try to forget about him. I know it will be hard, but in the end, it will be better for the both of you," Ryan spoke up again with a sorrowful look in his eyes.

"I don't think I can forget about him, especially not if he is going to be living here now," Pete mumbled quietly.

"It's going to take time, but it's not impossible," Brendon assured him.

"I - I don't know how to do that," Pete sniffled, finally feeling tears pricking at his eyes now that the fact that Mikey would never love him had set in.

"We will help you Pete, keep you distracted and stuff," Ryan promised, pulling Pete in for a friendly hug.

Pete accepted his gesture gratefully, and before he knew what was happening, he was crying softly against Ryan's chest as Brendon rubbed his back in a soothing manner.

Pete knew that his friends wanted him to let this go, but he _couldn't_ , that would be like cutting out his heart and expecting him to continue on with life as normal. Pete had to find a way to be around Mikey, even if it was just as a friend for now, and who knows - maybe Brendon was wrong, and Mikey could find a place in his heart for Pete.

It was all Ray's fault, and even though Pete had never met the guy, and he was sure he was decently nice or _whatever_ , Pete felt an unfamiliar surge of hatred rising in his gut. Pete never had bad feelings about anyone, even the people who treated him like he carried a disease, but in that moment, he despised Ray for existing, and he wished he would just fuck off somewhere so Pete could have Mikey all to himself.

Pete's stomach twisted uncomfortably under the assault of his irrational anger, but at the same time, he had never felt so empowered. All of his life, Pete had just laid down and let people make fun of him, or hurl insults at him, but he didn't think he could just walk away and leave his mate in the arms of another, no matter what his friends said.

And if Pete thought a little more logically, he would understand that Mikey was happy with Ray, and if Pete did anything to try and separate the two, he would be causing his mate extreme distress as well, but his mind was clouded with hurt feelings and repressed emotions, and Pete had buried so many things down over his lifetime that he didn't have any more room to shovel this in with it, so everything was bursting out all at once under the strain.

And if anyone had actually been paying attention - which they _weren't_ \- they might have noticed how all of the furniture in the room began to shake ever so slightly, and the way the lights flickered on and off erratically, but Pete had his lids squeezed shut to try and hold back his tears, and Ryan and Brendon had both closed their eyes as they attempted to comfort Pete, so the strange anomaly went undetected by all.

~~~

"I'm worried about him Ray...and he will never think to look for us down here," Mikey sighed, and even though Ray agreed with his mate, and he was also slightly terrified for Gerard, he was running out of things to say, because Mikey had been repeating similar versions of this phrase ever since he had woken up.

"I know you are babe, but Bert said he was going to send someone else to look for him tonight, and he doesn't want to organize large search parties until the hunters are gone," Ray tried to reason with his mate, even though he knew it was pointless.

"But he could be hurt, or _dying_ , and we are just sitting here in luxury while he is out there all on his own!" Mikey groaned loudly, burying his face in a pillow once he was done.

"Gerard is tough Mikey, and you know that. We will convince Bert to let us go look for him soon, but until then, we just have to keep hoping that he is okay."

"I don't think I am going be able to sit here and do nothing for much longer." Mikey rolled back over so he was facing Ray again, and his mate didn't miss the subtle tear tracks on his face, or the damp spots on the pillow, but he wisely chose not to point them out, because Mikey was insistent on the fact that he didn't cry anymore.

"Do you believe he is okay?" Ray asked softly, shifting his position on the bed so he could run a hand through Mikey's hair as he spoke.

"I don't know..." Mikey mumbled weakly, letting his head fall forward onto Ray's chest.

"I realize I don't have a brother, but I think I would know if something happened to him, somehow, like a sixth sense or _whatever_."

"Really?" Mikey asked hopefully, snuggling deeper into Ray's side for added comfort.

"Well yeah, you guys have a bond, and even if it isn't the same thing as being mated, you would know if he was hurting or you know..." Ray trailed off mid-sentence, because he didn't actually want to voice the word _"dead"_ just in case Mikey got upset all over again. Ray wasn't even one hundred percent sure if what he was saying was true, but it was cheering his mate up, and nothing else had worked so far.

"I guess you are right, and he's got to be okay..."

"He is, and we will find him soon." Ray hated making empty promises, but he just wanted to see Mikey smile again, and Gerard had to be okay, any other option was just too horrible to even consider.

"I love you," Mikey murmured before pressing his lips against Ray's bare chest, slowly traveling lower as he felt Ray tense up underneath them.

"I love you too - _so much_ ," Ray sighed out, internally congratulating himself at the fact that he had managed to distract Mikey from his brother's welfare for the time being.

He knew they would have to go look for Gerard soon though, and even if Ray was trying to act aloof and in control, he was just as worried about him as Mikey was, but he was also scared of pissing off Bert by not complying with his rules, and one of those had been that they weren't allowed to go into town without his consent.

Ray was sure there had to be a way to get out of here without Bert's permission, but just when he was trying to contemplate how to go about finding it, Mikey's hand dipped below the waistband of his boxers, erasing all traces of coherent thought from his head as he lost himself in the pleasure of being with his mate.


	16. Cheesy Sayings And Mikey In A Dress - Basically Pete's Mind In A Nutshell

Pete finally escaped from Brendon and Ryan's home early in the morning, feigning tiredness as an excuse, and even though he knew his friends meant well, he found himself heaving a sigh of relief once he was out of their earshot.

Brendon had stubbornly refused to let Pete be alone tonight, saying that no one should be left by themselves after receiving the news he had been given earlier in the evening, but Pete had the sneaking suspicion that Brendon was also afraid that he would try and visit Mikey if he was left unobserved for too long.

He was probably right to be honest, but Pete surprised even himself when he turned his feet toward his own home instead of Mikey's. It was late anyway, so his mate would probably be asleep, and Pete wasn't ready to face him until he had some more time to compose himself.

Pete still felt like he wanted to cry whenever he recalled Brendon's words, but he had shed all of his tears already, and he was left with no way to relieve the painful ache in his heart.

This hurt so much, worse than any physical pain Pete had ever experienced, and even though he hadn't suffered that many injuries over the course of his short life, Pete was certain he would rather lose a limb than continue feeling this way for a moment longer.

Because over time, cuts and broken bones would heal, but this wasn't something Pete could just bandage up. His heart was literally breaking, which was an expression that Pete had never understood until today, making the phrase _"ignorance is bliss"_ much more meaningful to him, and he truly wished that he had never seen Mikey if this was the result of finding his mate.

He couldn't take it back now though, and if Pete was given the power of foresight, alerting him beforehand that Mikey wouldn't return his feelings, he honestly didn't know whether he would have looked into his eyes or not, because even though this hurt like hell, Pete was keeping up with his theme of cheesy sayings and _"it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"_ popped into Pete's head whenever he tried to imagine a world in which he didn't know of Mikey's existence, even though he had been just fine living that way yesterday, but now his old life seemed paltry and unimportant.

This just wasn't fair - it wasn't supposed to happen this way. Mikey should love Pete, but he didn't - he _couldn't_ , and how the _fuck_ was Pete supposed to turn off his own emotions and pretend like everything was okay?

Pete slammed the door to his humble home shut before throwing himself down onto the couch with a pathetic sigh. He probably should be getting ready for bed; the sun would be rising soon, if it hadn't already, but Pete just didn't care enough to move.

Actually, Pete wasn't sure if he gave a shit about anything anymore, besides Mikey that is. This vampire who had been a stranger to him a few hours ago had become his whole world all because of a simple glance, and Pete knew he would never be whole again without Mikey by his side.

There was no possible way he could just ignore him like Brendon had suggested, that would drive Pete insane, but could he really maintain a simple friendship with his soul mate? Billie Joe had done it for years, but the truth had slipped out eventually, and everything had come crumbling down on him when that happened.

No matter how he tried to spin this situation, Pete continued to come to the conclusion that he was totally fucked, and even though it sounded dramatic - _ridiculous_ even, Pete felt as if his life was ending before it had even properly started.

Pete wasn't prone to fits of depression, and even after all of the terrible things that had happened to him, this sensation of drowning in his own emotions was new to him, and he quickly decided he hated it.

Pete felt so helpless, and confused, and lonely, and he just wanted someone to step in and fix this, but that was impossible, and Pete knew that there was no magic remedy that would make Mikey care for Pete, not in the way Pete needed him too.

If only Pete had met Mikey first, before he had found Ray; maybe then Mikey could have fallen in love with him, and even though they wouldn't be properly mated, Pete could live with that, he would take any scraps Mikey threw his way at this point.

It all came down to Ray though, he was the root of this problem, at least, in Pete's mind he was. Ray got lucky and snatched Mikey up before Pete had been given a chance to win Mikey's affections, and if it wasn't for him, Pete could be with Mikey.

That probably wasn't entirely true, but Pete was far past the point of thinking rationally right now, and in his head, he honestly believed that if Ray was removed from Mikey's life, Pete could woo him somehow.

Pete's earlier sorrow slowly transformed into anger, anger at Ray and the fact that he had stolen Mikey from Pete, and the rage Pete was feeling was much easier to deal with than the crushing despair he had been battling earlier, so he embraced it willingly.

As Pete let this new emotion flood throughout his entire body, he felt powerful, in control, and he no longer wanted to curl up and die, _no_ \- now he wanted to fight for Mikey and prove to him that he was worthy of his love.

Pete just needed to find a way to show Mikey how much he cared for him, then he would understand that Pete was the better option, and mated or not, maybe he could end up falling for Pete in the end, but Ray needed to be removed from the situation before that could happen.

Maybe Pete could get Ray kicked out of the coven, god knows that Bert had enough ridiculous rules as it was, and if Ray got caught breaking one of them, Bert might retract his welcome and tell Ray that he needed to find another place to live.

If that really did happen, Mikey would most definitely go with his mate, but Pete didn't even consider that option; his brain had twisted this entire situation around in knots, painting Ray as the villain, and Pete as the hero, with Mikey the damsel in distress of course, except maybe without the dress. As soon as Ray was erased from the picture, Mikey would see what a better option Pete was, and they would ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after - or _something_ like that.

Now all Pete had to do was figure out a way to get Ray evicted from the coven, which was no easy task. Bert may be very strict, but he had a soft spot in his heart that he tried to hide, and Pete knew he wouldn't banish Ray unless he did something truly terrible.

Pete didn't have a clear idea of what horrendous event he would need to stage that could ruin Ray's chances at staying here, but he would work out the semantics later. Right now, he was too angry to think straight, because even picturing Ray's stupid face made him want to punch a wall, or Ray himself, that would be a much better option than taking his aggression out on an innocent object.

Pete wasn't typically a violent person, actually, this was entirely new to him, but something had snapped inside his brain, and Pete could truly say that he hated Ray - _despised_ him even. It didn't matter that he hardly knew the vampire at all, he had taken Mikey from Pete, and that was unforgivable.

Suddenly, all the glass in Pete's house shattered, lamps exploded in a flurry of shards along with the nearby mirror that was hanging on the wall. The unexpected noise had Pete sitting up in alarm, glancing around rapidly to try and find the cause of this random destruction.

But Pete was alone, and he hadn't done anything that would have caused this - _right_? He was just sitting here thinking about Ray...

Before Pete could ponder this odd event any longer, he was overcome by a wave of exhaustion, as if he hadn't rested for days, but that wasn't the case, and as of five minutes ago, he had been wide awake.

Pete was slightly scared as he found his body slumping down onto the couch against his will, his eyes falling shut as if weights were tied to the ends of them, and before Pete could panic about his sudden bout of fatigue, he found himself surrendering to the oblivion of sleep, not that he really had much choice in the matter.

~~~

Gerard slept fitfully throughout the day, plagued by his dreams once again, but they were worse this time, because now he knew Frank was his mate, and watching him die in his arms was the worst kind of torture he could ever imagine, even more so than being burned alive numerous times.

Whenever Gerard closed his eyes, the dream started again, and no matter how hard Gerard tried to wake himself, he couldn't escape from the veil of sleep until the full five minute scenario had ended; only then would he jolt back to consciousness, covered in sweat and breathing harshly as if he had just run a hundred miles.

Gerard hadn't missed these night terrors, _of course_ he hadn't, but now that they had returned, Gerard began to notice details that had slipped his attention the first hundred times, and he found himself examining things more closely as he was forced to repeat the same events over and over again.

Gerard recognized his surroundings now, and the strange corridor filled with small cages no longer confounded him. It was Frank's clinic filled with kennels for the dogs in his care, and the only reason Gerard hadn't caught on to that before was because he had never set foot in a veterinarian office until he had met Frank.

Now the hallway he walked down was familiar to him, because he had trod that path in real life when he had exited Frank's house, and even the desk Frank was trapped under was the same piece of furniture he had noticed when he had been there himself.

These newfound discoveries didn't help him to understand why the room was engulfed in flames though, or why Gerard was unnaturally thirsty - _achingly_ so. He had never felt the need for blood reach such a high intensity before, not even when he had been dying from his bullet wounds, but now not biting Frank became even more important, because draining his mate would be the worst thing in the world, and Gerard knew if he attempted to drink from Frank when he was this ravenous, he would kill him for sure.

And even though Gerard finally understood where he was, and who Frank was, the sequence of the dream hadn't changed at all, but it had become truly horrendous now that Gerard grasped what Frank was to him, which also meant watching him die hurt so much that it had reached the point where it was literally tearing him apart.

No matter what he did, he couldn't change the inevitable outcome of the vision which resulted in both of their deaths, and the thought of what that could possibly mean for the future terrified Gerard.

These dreams were obviously relevant, that much was certain now that Gerard knew Frank was real, but did that mean that Frank was doomed to perish in a fiery inferno with Gerard alongside him, or could it be changed somehow?

Maybe if Gerard continued to avoid Frank, this ending would not come to pass, but maybe it wouldn't; perhaps Frank would just die alone, and Gerard would be killed by the breaking of their bond after the fact.

And if Gerard was being honest with himself, he knew he couldn't go without seeing Frank for much longer. The internal magnet drawing him back toward Belleville - toward _Frank_ \- was increasing in strength, and Gerard had to be near him again.

And even if the events of his hallucinations were set in stone, and nothing Gerard did would change either his or Frank's demise, Gerard couldn't leave Frank to die without at least trying to save him, and if they were doomed to perish, they might as well go down together.

There had to be a way for Gerard to change the dream though, because the thought of Frank no longer existing actually brought tears to Gerard's eyes, but he didn't know what path to take to make sure that Frank would survive, or _himself_ for that matter, but he wasn't going to give up just because he had never succeeded before.

Gerard waited for the setting sun anxiously, for he longed to leave the small cave he had hidden himself in so he could return to Belleville, even though what he would do when he got there was another matter entirely, but it definitely involved Frank, that was for sure.

Gerard knew he should search for Mikey, they had been separated for too long, and Gerard was worried about him as well, but he had to try and approach Frank first, or he would never be able to concentrate on finding his brother. Once he had made sure Frank was safe, and maybe even spoken with him, Gerard would return to the church, and hopefully this time, Mikey and Ray would be there waiting for him.

After what seemed like hours, but was really only about thirty minutes, the sun began its descent across the sky and the forest grew dark enough for Gerard to begin making his way back to the place his heart longed to be.

Flames continued to flicker at the corner of his vision as Gerard set his feet toward Belleville, but Gerard ignored them; they weren't real, and even if they were, he would find a way to pass through a wall of fire as long as Frank was waiting for him on the other side.

~~~

Mikey had gone to beg Bert's permission to search for Gerard as soon as he had awoken. He was surprised he had managed to shut his eyes at all with his worries for Gerard eating away at him, but Ray had done a very good job at distracting Mikey from his fears, and he had ended up dozing off despite his misgivings.

Bert had been sympathetic to Mikey's pleas, but he was still wary about letting anyone into town while the hunters resided there. After much debate, he had agreed to let Mikey search the church and the surrounding areas, just in case Gerard had hidden himself somewhere nearby, but he had made Mikey promise not to show his face in the more populated sections of the city just yet.

Mikey assured Bert that he wouldn't, and he would hold to his word for now, especially since he didn't want to disregard the coven leader after only just finding a home. Mikey truly was grateful for all that Bert had done for him, but he wouldn't be able to appreciate the novelty of living in a real coven until Gerard was by his side, because without his brother, this was just another place to stay.

Mikey returned to the house he had been given as quickly as he could, and he all but dragged Ray out of bed when he arrived to find him still ensconced in the sheets, forcing his sleepy mate to get dressed as he rapidly explained that Bert had given them permission to leave the coven for a short time. When Ray finally shook himself mostly awake and got his sleep clogged brain to process Mikey's words, a large grin emerged on his face at the prospect of finding Gerard, his expression mirroring Mikey's exactly.

Bert wasn't letting them go alone of course, he didn't trust them nearly enough for that yet, but the vampire he had chosen to accompany them seemed nice; he was the same man that had showed them around yesterday - Mikey was pretty certain his name was Brandon, or maybe Brendon, and Mikey didn't mind his presence at all.

Nothing could dampen Mikey's chipper mood as they ascended the steps which led to the old church that rested innocently above the coven, because it felt so good to finally be doing _something_ to help his brother, and Mikey was hopeful that Gerard would return to this location, he had told them to wait for him here after all.

"So what does your brother look like anyway," Brendon - Mikey had confirmed that was indeed his name - asked curiously as they walked.

"Um, he's a little shorter than me, with long black hair, and he is wearing a black trench coat and dark jeans," Mikey stammered out, unsure of how exactly to describe Gerard in any more detail, he had never really thought about it before.

"And he promised he would meet you at the church?"

"Yes, but we ran into Bert the night we got separated, so we may have missed him while we were in the coven. Hopefully, he will come back here soon, we told him we would wait for two days before moving on, even though I would never be able to leave without him," Mikey answered with a sigh. Talking about Gerard made his heart ache painfully, and only the hope of finding him tonight kept him from falling back into despair.

"I always wondered what it would be like to have a brother," Brendon mumbled with a thoughtful expression on his face. Most vampires shared Brendon's sentiments, because siblings were so rare among their kind, but Mikey had never known a life without Gerard, so he sometimes forgot what an anomaly they were.

"It's amazing, he is so much more than just a brother; he is my best friend, my protector, my support. He saved me during the purge; if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have known what to do. When our parents came into our room and told us to hide, I panicked - froze up entirely. Gerard was the one who dragged me down into the basement, he was the one who hid us behind the bookshelf and kept me quiet when all I wanted to do was scream..." Mikey trailed off when he realized that he had gotten a bit too detailed about his personal life with a complete stranger, but he had been caught up in his memories, and Brendon seemed to be listening raptly.

"I wasn't born yet when the purge happened... _fuck_ , I didn't know you were either - you look so _young_ ," Brendon exclaimed in surprise.

"I was very little, but I was old enough to remember it. Our entire coven was wiped out, and I can't even begin to explain what it feels like to finally find a home again."

"Now that I can empathize with, our coven got hit by hunters recently as well. I used to live in New York before I relocated here," Brendon admitted, and even though he was smiling, Mikey saw the hidden sorrow on his face, but he could tell that Brendon didn't want to expand on his experiences any more than he already had, and Mikey could respect that.

And just when Mikey was opening his mouth to respond, he noticed that they had reached the church, but that wasn't what had Mikey's jaw snapping shut with a sharp snap of his teeth - _no_ , it was what he saw in the corner of the room that had him rushing over as quickly as he could, completely forgetting about Brendon's existence for the moment.

Mikey shouldn't even have noticed the small stack of rocks so soon, but maybe Ray was right, and he was connected to Gerard in some way that transcended simply being related, but whatever was the case, Mikey's eyes were immediately drawn to the pile of three stones, stacked from largest to smallest, which was a sign Gerard had used before to let Mikey know he had to leave for the night.

And even though this was nowhere near as exciting as finding Gerard, Mikey's heart was still beating rapidly as he felt a large grin tugging at his face. This was proof that Gerard was alive, that he had been here, which meant there was a good chance that he would probably return soon, and finding this proof that his brother was still out there somewhere was _everything_ to Mikey.


	17. Cute Is What We Aim For

Gerard made it back to Belleville in one piece, and after much internal debate, he had finally managed to convince himself to actually go see Frank, because he was tired of bemoaning his situation without truly doing anything about it, and he knew he needed to grow some _fucking_ balls and at least approach Frank before he made any more assumptions about how this was all going to end.

As soon as he had entered the city for the second time, all traces of Gerard's hallucinations had disappeared, which is _exactly_ what had occurred during his original arrival into this town. Gerard wasn't sure why this had happened both times, but now that he knew about Frank's existence, he had a nagging suspicion that it had something to do with him.

The visions directly involved Frank after all, so it wasn't too crazy to assume that he was linked to Gerard in some way, besides the obvious mating bond, and now that Gerard actually thought about it, his dreams had become much more vivid the closer he came to Belleville - to _Frank_ , but once he crossed into the physical city limits, they seemed to dry up completely, as if they knew they were no longer needed now that Gerard had reached the place they wanted him to go.

Gerard could have spent the entire night pondering this newfound discovery, but he didn't have the luxury of that much time, not if he wanted to reach Frank's house before he fell asleep. It was still relatively earlier in the evening though, and Gerard was grateful for the winter months that caused the sun to set so quickly, but he wasn't sure when Frank turned in for the night, and he wasn't going to take any chances.

After stopping by a Goodwill drop off box to steal a new shirt, Gerard turned his footsteps toward Frank's house. The theft didn't bother him very much, because his old shirt had been ruined when Frank had tended to his wounds, and Gerard didn't want Frank's first impression of him to be of his bare chest. What was the point of good will anyway if not to help out someone in need, and Gerard was definitely a charity case at the moment.

But now that he was standing in front of the veterinary clinic, Gerard was beginning to regret this rash decision to just pop into Frank's life. This had been an idiotic idea, and Gerard couldn't remember how he had ever managed to convince himself that this was the right course of action to take, but he had come this far, the least he could do was knock on the fucking door before he chickened out completely.

Gerard was currently falling apart though as he attempted to raise his hand to the brass knocker that was hanging at eye level. Gerard was _fucking_ terrified, more scared than he had ever been in his entire life, not even when he had been dying of numerous bullet wounds had he felt this way, not when he had gotten separated from Mikey a few years back, not even during the _purge_ , which really didn't make any sense at all.

Gerard shouldn't be panicking this much, but he was, and even though Frank was logically much less terrifying than hunters or a mob of angry humans dead set on killing any vampire they laid eyes upon, Gerard would much rather face both of those at once if it meant he could escape the situation he currently found himself in.

Gerard literally felt like he was dying - or maybe drowning, even though drowning is technically dying, but _whatever_. His palms were sweating, his lungs were seizing up, his heart was beating much too quickly against his rib cage as his stomach twisted violently, and Gerard actually thought he might throw up any moment now.

And just when Gerard had been two seconds away from bolting, because no one could be worth this much emotional distress - not even _Frank_ , the decision was taken away from him in the form of the door creaking open, even though Gerard still hadn't managed to lay a hand on it yet.

And even though Gerard knew that it was going to be Frank on the other side, he still found himself shocked to see the man he had spent the last few days obsessing over right in front of him.

And now Gerard was no longer drowning, but flying, or maybe _falling_ \- falling even harder for the beautiful dark haired man who was his other half, his soul mate, his _everything_. Even just standing next to him had Gerard's entire body tingling with joy, and he had to physically constrain himself from reaching out and pulling Frank into his arms.

"Hey - sorry, I'm closed, but is there something I could help you with?" Frank asked as he peered up at Gerard with an unreadable expression on his face.

And even though Gerard knew he needed to answer before Frank started to get really weirded out by him, Gerard couldn't help but take a moment to gaze at Frank, because the last time he had seen him, he had been naked in a dark room, and even though he _definitely_ wanted to see Frank's bare skin again, it was a novelty to be able to observe him fully clothed and cleaned up.

Frank was just as stunning as Gerard remembered, maybe even more so. His hair flopped across his forehead, covering one eye slightly before it curled up at the ends. His expression was slightly bleary, and Gerard could feel the tiredness emanating through his bond with Frank, but his hazel irises still sparkled slightly, and Gerard didn't miss the curiosity and interest he felt pulsing through Frank's mind.

" _Hey_...you okay?" Frank waved his hand in front of Gerard's face, causing Gerard to physically jump as he was snapped out of his daze abruptly.

"Yeah - sorry, I just didn't expect you to be so... _you_ , oh _fuck_ \- that sounds weird, just ignore me," Gerard babbled out, desperately trying to take back his words, even though it was much too late for that, but Gerard had to try.

"Oh yeah, I'm young, but I promise you, I'm a fully certified vet if that's what you are concerned about, and there is a larger clinic further into town if it's a problem," Frank scoffed, and Gerard sensed the suppressed hostility Frank was currently trying to shove down.

Even though that wasn't what Gerard had been insinuating at all, he was sort of glad that Frank had taken his statement the wrong way, instead of the much more creepy translation that Gerard had actually meant. Still, Gerard had to say something to fix his unintended insult before Frank slammed the door in his face, and of course, what came out was almost as bad as his previous statement.

"No - that's not what I meant at all...you are just really _cute_ , and I - I don't know, it caught me off guard." Gerard blushed furiously, mentally face palming himself for not having better control over his mouth to brain filter, but Frank was going to figure out he was attracted to him sooner or later, and this wasn't the worst way he could have let him know.

" _Oh_ \- well thanks, you too actually," Frank smiled as his own cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

" _Really_?" Gerard choked out, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to figure out if Frank was just fucking with him or not, but by the honesty in his expression, he really meant it.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you aren't here just to compliment me, so do you mind telling me the real reason you came by?" Frank giggled quietly, and _fuck_ \- Gerard practically melted on the spot.

The fact that Frank was still talking to Gerard, and he hadn't flipped out and told him to fuck off yet gave Gerard the first glimpse of hope he had felt in ages, and he was actually beginning to think that maybe he could make this work with Frank somehow after all.

And even though Gerard had already made a complete fool of himself in the scant two minutes he had been in Frank's presence, he had figured out one thing from his embarrassing outburst; Frank was definitely interested in men if the bubbles bursting across their bond meant anything, which Gerard chose to believe they did.

"Oh - yeah, well I just got a new cat, and I wanted to stop by your office to see if I could take him here to get checked out one day. I meant to come by earlier, but I got sidetracked with work, and uh - _yeah_ ," Gerard spit out the story he had concocted up before deciding to come to Frank's house. He was aware that it had a lot of holes, and Frank was going to figure out pretty quickly that he didn't actually have a cat, but it was the best he could come up with on such short notice.

"Oh, well like I said before, this office is fully equipped for all small animals, cats included. I usually just do low key stuff, like shots and heartworm treatments, but I am certified for emergency care as well if that ever becomes necessary, which hopefully it won't. Do you want a pamphlet so you can have the number and all that?" Frank's face lit up as he talked about his practice, and Gerard missed about half of what Frank had said, he was too busy staring at the movement of his lips and the way his hands danced around as he spoke.

"Yeah - a pamphlet would be good," Gerard managed to respond in a more timely fashion this time, much to his relief.

"Do you want to come in? I already put everything away for the night, so it will take me a second to fish it out for you," Frank asked with a hopefully expression on his face, and Gerard could tell that Frank genuinely wanted him to accept his invitation.

"Sure, but you don't have to pull it out if it's too much trouble - I could just stop by some other time." Gerard shifted uncomfortably on his feet as he waited for Frank's answer, because he really didn't want to leave now, but he also didn't want to come off as too forward, and just the idea of being alone with Frank in his house had memories of their first night together popping up with rapid succession.

"It's no problem - _really_ ," Frank insisted before grabbing Gerard by the wrist and gently tugging him inside, and even that small amount of contact had Gerard swooning internally.

"Thanks again, you are the best," Gerard grinned as Frank led him over to a small desk before dropping his hold on him and bending down to look for what Gerard assumed were the pamphlets, giving Gerard a fantastic view of his ass in the process, and _god_ _damn_ \- those tight jeans did him wonders.

"Nah - this is nothing. I always like helping potential clients. My business is pretty small, and even though I have my die hard regulars, it's rare that I get someone interested in this place that hasn't been coming here for ages." Frank's voice came out muffled because of the way he was half under the desk, but Gerard still understood him perfectly, and he really hoped Frank wasn't going to get offended when he found out that Gerard didn't actually have a cat.

"Still, I feel bad for disturbing you. You were obviously going out somewhere, and you didn't need to put your plans on hold for me," Gerard apologized.

"No I wasn't going anywhere, I was just planning on pulling some of the weeds that keep cropping up in my front lawn, and believe me - I should be thanking you for distracting me from that. I _fucking_ hate yard work," Frank chuckled as he finally emerged out from under the desk with a few leafs of paper clutched in his hand.

"Oh - well then you are welcome I guess," Gerard giggled slightly as he accepted the pages that Frank had extended in his direction.

"So...if you don't mind me asking, what's your name? I haven't seen you around town before," Frank questioned curiously, leaning against the desk as he did so. His shirt rode up just a bit at his action, and Gerard was left to wet his mouth as he caught sight of Frank's hidden ink.

"It's Gerard, and _yeah_ \- I just moved here not too long ago." Gerard tried his hardest to look Frank in the eye when he spoke, but his gaze was continuously pulled back downward to the swirled lettering gracing Frank's stomach.

"Really - what is with all the new people moving here? You don't know two guys by the name of Brendon and Ryan do you?"

"Uh - no, at least, I don't think so," Gerard answered, slightly confused as to why Frank was asking him this.

"Sorry, I just met them earlier this week, and I had never seen them before either. This town is small you know, and not that many people ever choose to come live here," Frank shrugged, and Gerard could see the logic in his question now, but he had sort of just moved in, so that wasn't entirely a lie.

"Oh yeah, I guess I can understand that. My brother has always liked places like this though, and he thought Belleville would be a good city to settle down in," Gerard lied out of his ass, but by the way Frank was nodding intently as he listened, he was buying every word.

"That makes sense, and I'm not trying to be unwelcoming or anything." Frank smiled warmly as if to prove his point, and Gerard grinned back weakly, trying to keep all of his deceptions in order so he wouldn't fuck up later down the line by forgetting what he had told Frank.

"Oh no, you have been perfect. Seriously, thank you for these, and I will be back soon I'm sure," Gerard promised, tucking the pamphlets into his back pocket so he wouldn't set them down somewhere and leave them behind.

"Stop by anytime, I'm basically always here." Frank pushed himself off the desk and began walking toward the front door, and of course, Gerard followed him.

Gerard used the short amount of time while Frank's back was turned to try and decipher the emotions he could feel coming from Frank, and most of them were encouraging. Gerard wasn't used to their bond yet, and the close proximity to Frank made everything more intense, so there were a few sensations that he couldn't quite place, but overall, Frank seemed attracted to Gerard, and that gave him the courage to actually make a move.

"So since I'm new to town, do you think you would maybe want to come get some coffee with me, or whatever? I know it's sort of late, but I'm fine with anything, and I don't know any good places yet, but I have made it my mission to save you from the evils of yard work for just a little bit longer - totally my treat," Gerard managed to ask, trying his hardest to keep his tone light, but he couldn't completely conceal the slight quaver to his voice.

"Coffee sounds great - it's never too late for coffee. Plus, the office is actually closed tomorrow, and I haven't gone out in ages, so I would love to show you around," Frank agreed, and Gerard's spike of joy mixed with the excitement that he could feel coming from Frank, creating a heady emotional rush that Gerard could definitely get used to.

"I couldn't have picked a better tour guide," Gerard grinned widely, gesturing for Frank to lead the way as they stepped outside.

"And just so you know, I meant what I said earlier, you are _really_ cute," Frank mentioned casually as he turned left down the sidewalk, and Gerard actually stumbled at Frank's unexpected statement.

"I meant it too," Gerard choked out, basking in the smile Frank graced him with when he finally managed to meet his eyes.

"Well come on then cutie, let's go." Frank laced his fingers through Gerard's hand before pulling him down the street, and Gerard was pretty sure there was no way this day could have gotten any better.

Frank liked him, _actually_ liked him, and even though it wasn't anywhere near the same intensity of devotion that Gerard felt for Frank, Gerard wasn't going to worry about that for the moment, because Frank had given him a chance, which was more than Gerard deserved, but if it was the last thing he did, Gerard was going to try his hardest to make Frank fall in love with him.

~~~

Mikey really hadn't planned on going into town against Bert's orders, but after they had searched the area around the church and the surrounding woodlands, he hadn't been ready to give up on finding his brother just yet. The sign Gerard had left in the church proved that he was still alive, he was out there somewhere, Mikey just had to find him.

Brendon had actually been the one to suggest going into the city, just for a quick look around. Mikey had been reluctant at first, but after Brendon assured him that he and his mate did it all the time, Mikey couldn't resist the temptation to continue his search.

They stuck to the suburbs mostly, making sure to stay out of sight as they kept their eyes peeled for any sign of Gerard. Mikey was very aware of the fact that the hunters could still be in town, and he was taking a huge risk being out in the open like this, but if he found Gerard, that would make it all worth it.

Mikey didn't see anyone that even so much as resembled Gerard though, and his fear of getting caught by the hunters, or even worse - _Bert_ , was causing him to seriously consider heading back to the coven and trying this again another night, but just as he was about to voice his concerns, Ray tapped him on the shoulder gently.

"Wait - isn't that him?" Ray whispered in Mikey's ear, pointing toward a familiar trench coat wearing figure at the end of the street who appeared to be in a deep conversation with some human at the moment.

"Yeah it is," Mikey responded just as quietly once he got a better look at the man.

It was definitely Gerard, but if Mikey hadn't been looking so hard for his brother, he would have completely missed his slim figure. He was standing in the doorway of what was apparently a veterinary clinic, which was the last place Mikey had expected to find him, and with a _human_ no less.

Mikey's first instinct was to run into Gerard's arms, but he paused for the moment, trying to figure out what the _fuck_ he was doing talking to a human. Mikey had been so worried about his brother's safety, but now that he had found him apparently unharmed and not at all concerned with letting Mikey know that, he was sort of pissed off.

But once Mikey had calmed down a bit, he realized that Gerard must have some reason for being here. Mikey knew Gerard better than anyone, and he wouldn't have stayed away for so long unless whatever he was doing was really important, so Mikey decided to trust him for the time being.

"That's your brother?" Brendon spoke up, and Mikey jumped slightly at his words, because he had almost forgotten about the other vampire's presence in the excitement of finding Gerard.

"Yeah," Mikey nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop Brendon from leaving their hiding place in the shadows across the street. Mikey wanted to observe his brother for just a little bit longer before he revealed their presence to him, maybe that way he could figure out what he was doing here.

"How does he know Frank?" Brendon questioned nervously.

"Who is Frank - the _human_?" Ray looked back and forth between Mikey and Brendon with a confused look on his face.

"Yeah, he is my friend..."

"Why are you friends with a human?" Ray hissed, and Mikey grabbed his hand in an attempt to calm him down. Out of all of them, Ray was perhaps the greatest hater of humans, and that was saying a lot, because Mikey and Gerard weren't their biggest fans either - not by a long shot.

"Not all humans are terrible now, they have changed, and Frank is really nice," Brendon argued back, and Mikey was beginning to worry that his mate and Brendon were going to escalate into a full on fight pretty soon.

"I find that hard to believe," Ray scoffed haughtily.

"Ray - just calm down okay? Gerard has to have a good reason to be talking with him, so maybe he is different after all," Mikey attempted to soothe his mate, rubbing small circles into the back of his hand as he spoke.

"He went inside," Ray pointed out gruffly, and when Mikey glanced back toward where Gerard had been standing, he saw that Ray was right, and Gerard had indeed disappeared into the house.

"Frank had a vampire bite on his neck the last time I saw him...if it was your brother, Ryan isn't going to be happy, and neither am I," Brendon hissed, obviously still pissed off at Ray, and maybe Gerard as well if he had done what Brendon was accusing him of.

"I doubt it was Gerard, we have only been in town for a few days, and he would be more careful than that if he bit someone," Mikey pointed out, desperately hoping that Gerard truly hadn't done anything to make Brendon even more upset.

Mikey didn't think Gerard would have bitten this human though, not unless he was really desperate. Their usual prey didn't live in nice homes, and they didn't hunt in the suburbs - that was just too dangerous. If Gerard really had fed the other night, he would have gone downtown in search of a hooker or a junkie to drink off of, not someone like this, but apparently Brendon wasn't convinced.

"He's the only vampire that has been unaccounted for lately besides that rogue, and finding him here with Frank doesn't look good," Brendon replied in a tense tone of voice.

"Just give him a chance to explain himself, I'm sure it's all some misunderstanding if it was him, and it seems much more likely to me that it was the rogue's doing," Mikey pleaded as Brendon began stalking down the street determinedly.

Bert had informed Mikey and Ray about the rogue vampire that was murdering humans in Belleville, and he had explained that this vampire's presence was the cause of so many of his harsh rules, and also why the hunters were in town at the moment.

Mikey truly hoped it was this rogue that had bitten Frank, and not Gerard, but despite what Mikey had just told Brendon, he knew that probably wasn't the case. The rogue was apparently ruthless and bloodthirsty, and if they had gotten their hands on Frank, he would probably be dead right now, but Mikey didn't want to point that out to Brendon, that would only cause him to grow even angrier at Gerard.

"It better be. I know things are probably different where you came from, but we don't hunt from the townspeople here - I'm sure Bert told you that, and Frank doesn't deserve to be treated that way. He was raped too you know, Ryan and I found him drunk off his ass yesterday, and he told us everything." Brendon stopped his forward motion, but he still looked seconds away from busting into Frank's house and kicking the crap out of Gerard for hurting his friend.

"If he doesn't come out in five minutes, then you can go in, but I'm sure Gerard isn't doing anything," Mikey begged one last time.

" _Fine_ ," Brendon huffed out, and they quickly concealed themselves again when they heard the door of Frank's house creaking open.

Mikey had to suppress an _"I told you so"_ when both Gerard and Frank emerged, and Frank's neck appeared untouched besides the bruise which Mikey assumed was from the previous bite Brendon had mentioned.

Now that Mikey was closer to his brother, he managed to read the expression on his face, and he was shocked by what he saw. Gerard looked _happy_ \- he was actually smiling, and Mikey hadn't seen his brother this way in years.

Wanting a closer look at this human that had so interested his brother, Mikey took in his appearance, and it was like the pieces in his brain that had been floating around haphazardly all fell into place. This human seemed slightly familiar, and now Mikey realized that he almost perfectly matched the description Gerard had provided him with of the man in his nightmares.

Everything about him, from the small frame, to the tattoos, to the dark hair sounded exactly like the man that Gerard dreamed about on a regular occurrence. Now Mikey understood why Gerard was spending time with him; he had been searching for this man for years, hoping that he was real, because that would mean he wasn't going crazy.

Mikey wanted to relay this information to Brendon and Ray, but they were too close to Gerard and Frank now to risk making that much noise. Frank might not hear their hushed whispers, but Gerard definitely would, so Mikey kept his mouth shut and continued to watch his brother as he flirted shamelessly with Frank.

Finally, Gerard and Frank headed off down the sidewalk, turning in the opposite direction of Mikey's hiding place. Just before they disappeared out of sight, Mikey saw Frank grab Gerard's hand, and the grin that lit up Gerard's face had Mikey fighting back a smile of his own.

"See...he isn't going to hurt him Brendon," Mikey pointed out, slowly trailing after Gerard so he wouldn't lose sight of him. He didn't want to interrupt Gerard and Frank's moment together, but there was no way he was going to lose sight of his brother after he had spent so much time searching for him.

"Maybe you are right...if I had to guess, I would say he mated with him," Brendon mumbled under his breath, and if Mikey hadn't had such good hearing, he would have thought he had misunderstood Brendon.

"Mated - with a _human_?" Ray sputtered out before Mikey had a chance to respond, but Mikey shared his sentiment.

"Yeah - it has happened before, and even though it's pretty rare, it has been occurring more and more after the purge. I think it's almost like our DNA is trying to compensate for how many vampires were lost by providing more viable mates for us among the humans - _you know_?

"It makes sense Ray, Gerard's dream - _remember_?" Mikey cut Ray off before he could start on a rant about how it would be impossible for Gerard to mate with a human, and it seemed like Mikey's words had the desired effect. Ray's mouth snapped shut with an audible click, and his pissed off expression changed to a thoughtful one instead.

"Are we following them or not, because they are getting away," Brendon asked, pointing toward Gerard and Frank's retreating figures.

"Let's leave them be, we will confront Gerard when he gets back about everything - okay Brendon?" Mikey asked, and Brendon finally nodded reluctantly in agreement. Mikey wasn't sure if he was making the right choice or not, but he knew Gerard would notice their presence if they continued to tail him, and Mikey didn't want to do anything to spoil his brother's newfound happiness.

Quickly gathering up some nearby stones, Mikey stacked them in an identical manner to the pile Gerard had left in the church, using the smallest rocks to scratch a _"C"_ on the largest one. Gerard would understand his message, and he would know to head back to the church once he saw this, and Mikey would make sure to wait for him all night this time. He had placed his signal directly to the right of Frank's house, and as long as Gerard came back here, which Mikey knew he would, then this wild goose chase would finally be over.

As Mikey turned his feet back in the direction of the coven, he marveled over how light he felt now that he knew Gerard was okay, more than okay actually. Mikey really hoped that Brendon was right, and Gerard had finally found his mate - it didn't matter if he was human or not.

And even though Ray was obviously still slightly upset over the new development, Mikey was sure he could bring him around. _Yes_ \- Mikey had always despised humans, but if one of them could love Gerard the way Ray loved him, Mikey was willing to look past their race for the time being, and even though he still had a million questions about how being mated to a human worked, he was willing to wait until Gerard returned for his answers.

As long as Gerard was happy, Mikey was too, and from the little slice of time in which Mikey had observed the two together, Frank seemed to make Gerard come alive, and in the end, that was all that really mattered.


	18. I Can't Think Of A Chapter Title But Cute Frerard Stuff Happens

Ryan was bored, and slightly anxious, but most of all - he was _alone_ , and even though Brendon had only left about an hour ago, Ryan missed him already, and he was tired of pacing their home while trying to find something to keep him occupied.

Ryan had wanted to go search for Mikey's brother with his mate, especially if it meant he'd have a chance of getting out of the coven once again, but Brendon had asked him to stay behind and keep an eye on Pete, and even though Ryan had agreed since someone did need to look after their friend, he was seriously regretting that decision right now.

Because Pete hadn't come over yet - honestly, he was probably still asleep, which left Ryan with absolutely nothing to do to pass the time, and each minute was dragging out into an hour in Ryan's mind.

Something just felt off, or _wrong_ , and even though Ryan couldn't put a finger on what that was, he couldn't relax. He didn't think it had anything to do with Brendon, at least, he didn't sense any strange emotions coming through their bond, but that didn't stop Ryan from worrying.

It wasn't often that Brendon and Ryan were apart anymore, and even though Brendon hadn't gone far, just to the areas surrounding the coven, Ryan didn't like not knowing exactly where he was, especially when he was feeling this anxious, and he craved Brendon's arms around him, he needed his mate to tell him that everything was okay.

And in all reality, it was probably just Ryan's constant desire to be out in the world, and his separation from his mate that was making him so uneasy, so he tried not to dwell on the feeling, but every time Ryan attempted to sit down, he was on his feet again in seconds, the nervous energy radiating throughout his body refusing to let him sit still.

Finally, Ryan decided to go check up on Pete, just to make sure he really was still asleep, and that he was okay, even though he _really_ wasn't. No one would be after finding out that their mate would never love them back, but hopefully Pete had managed to sleep off some of his sorrow.

As Ryan left his home and turned his feet towards Pete's, he mulled over Pete's situation in his head. Brendon seemed confident that Pete could bounce back from this, but Ryan wasn't so sure, he just hadn't wanted to say anything to make his mate even more upset than he already was.

And the more Ryan thought about it, the more worried about Pete he became, because if Ryan was placed in Pete's shoes, he knew he wouldn't be able to move on from this. As soon as Ryan had met Brendon's gaze, he had become his entire world, and having that ripped out from under his feet would have killed him, at least mentally.

But Pete was different, and Ryan wasn't sure how much of this he actually understood, and if he even truly realized what being mated meant. Pete wasn't stupid, but he wasn't entirely there either, and his childlike outlook on the world may have been protecting him from the worst of the pain Ryan was sure he was going through.

Because _yes_ , Pete had been upset last night when he had learned that Mikey was mated, but he hadn't seemed totally destroyed, and even though he had cried, it hadn't lasted nearly as long as Ryan expected, which gave him hope that maybe Pete could recover eventually after all.

But when Ryan reached Pete's house, his hand pushing open the door that Pete almost always kept unlocked, his previous buoyant attitude disappeared like a wisp of smoke when he caught sight of the state of Pete's living room.

The place was in shambles; every lamp and mirror was shattered, and the carpet was covered in a layer of broken glasses like deadly snow dusting the ground. Some of the windows were cracked as well, and from what Ryan could see of the kitchen, many of his dishes had suffered the same fate.

Pete lay fast asleep on the couch, slumbering peacefully in the center of chaos, and even though Ryan's first instinct was to wake him and ask him what the hell had happened, he refrained from doing that just yet, because the answer to his question seemed pretty obvious.

Pete must have trashed his house last night in a fit of rage after he had left Brendon and Ryan's place, which meant that he hadn't been dealing with his emotions nearly as well as he had appeared to be, and Brendon had been right to ask Ryan to stay behind and make sure that Pete wasn't left alone, because god knows what he could have gotten up to today if Ryan hadn't stopped by.

Ryan was surprised by the amount of destruction Pete had managed to accomplish, and even though he didn't blame him for taking out his anger in this way, it just wasn't something that Ryan thought Pete would resort to, and he wished they had been more persistent when Pete had demanded he head home last night.

Pete was always so gentle, so _careful_ , and he never seemed to take joy in the act of ruining something else. Pete was the sort of person who would step around a flower if it was in his path just to make sure he didn't harm it in any way, and Ryan had thought that Pete didn't have it in him to intentionally hurt anything, even glass.

Even when Pete was upset, Ryan had never seen him resort to violence, although in this case it was only against inanimate objects, which truly showcased the extent of Pete's internal pain, and Ryan was now convinced that Pete wouldn't be able to brush this off without a great deal of help.

Pete was obviously hurting, hurting _badly_ , and Ryan wished that Brendon was here more than anything. Brendon and Pete were close, and even though Ryan cared for Pete, he didn't know what to say to help him through this, and he wanted Brendon by his side when Pete woke up, but for now, he would have to deal with this alone.

But Ryan had to remind himself that Pete was alone too, so much more alone than Ryan could ever be, and even though Ryan wasn't the best at comforting people, Pete needed someone - _anyone_ right now, and Ryan was determined to be that person.

As Ryan waited for Pete to stir, he decided to clean up the endless amounts of glass that littered the room; it would be one less thing for Pete to worry about, and it gave Ryan time to think of what to say when Pete finally did wake up, because Ryan was coming up blank right now.

Because what could Ryan possibly say to make Pete feel any better, because really - this situation sucked major ass, and everyone knew that, but that wasn't what Pete needed to hear. Pete needed _hope_ , and he needed to know that he wasn't in this alone, and Ryan was determined to be there for him, because no one deserved to suffer through this on their own, especially not Pete.

~~~

Frank had no idea what it was about Gerard that fascinated him so much, but he had only known him for a few hours and he was already falling head over heels for the dark haired man that was currently sitting across from him sipping a cup of probably cold coffee, but neither of them really cared about the temperature of their beverages right now, not when they had much more interesting things to occupy their attention.

The last thing Frank had expected to happen tonight was to have a totally gorgeous stranger show up at his clinic and ask him out on a date, but even though the situation was odd, Frank felt comfortable around Gerard, more comfortable than he did around most people, and he never wanted this evening to end.

Frank had dragged Gerard around town for a bit, showing him the sights and all the best places to eat as they chatted about nothing and everything all at once, and Gerard had followed him eagerly, never once letting go of Frank's hand the entire time.

They had ended up in a coffee shop where they had wasted the past few hours away; it was actually Frank's favorite place to come when he had a day off and he wanted to get out for a little while, but being here with Gerard was so much better than when he showed up alone, and Frank was pretty sure he could stay here all night as long as Gerard was with him.

From the second Gerard had appeared on Frank's doorstep, Frank had felt something - a _spark_ , or maybe a shock, almost like recognition, but it couldn't be that, because he had never seen Gerard before tonight, but _still_ \- there was something about Gerard that made it seem as if Frank had known him for years, or maybe he just wanted to get to know him.

Because Gerard made Frank feel all of those things he had always longed for in a partner: the butterflies, the nervousness, the awkward blushing, and _fuck_ \- so far Gerard seemed like everything Frank had ever wanted in a man, and he was left wondering if this was too good to be true.

Gerard just seemed so interested in Frank, like every little thing he said was worthy of discussion, and it was rare to find anyone who cared enough to actually listen so intently anymore, which was pretty sad, but it was the truth.

But _Gerard_...he was different, and Frank wasn't ashamed to admit that he was crushing pretty hard already, even though they hadn't even finished their first date yet. Frank always fell fast though - that is, if he could find someone who actually captured his attention, and when that happened, Frank wasn't one for beating around the bush when it came to his feelings.

Still, whatever this was with Gerard seemed strong - _intense_ even, and Frank knew this was more than just simple attraction to a hot guy, even though he wasn't sure what this would eventually turn into, he was aware that it was _something_.

Frank had always been a secret believer in love at first sight, even though he hadn't seen very many examples of it, and he had been beginning to lose hope that it would ever happen to him - he was almost thirty after all, but Gerard made all those hidden dreams Frank had for a fairy tale ending come rushing out of the dark hole Frank had stuffed them in.

Frank knew he was thinking way too far into the future, and that was a sure fire way to get himself hurt, but he just couldn't help himself. Frank _really_ liked Gerard, and he was excited okay - _sue him_ , and even though he wasn't expecting them to get married tomorrow, he could definitely see himself with Gerard in the future.

And Gerard seemed just as into Frank as he was if the fact that they had been hanging out for hours and Gerard hadn't lost that love struck expression on his face was any indicator. Frank was decently good at reading people, and he knew the difference between a person who was looking for a quick hookup and someone who was genuinely interested in him, and Gerard was _definitely_ the latter.

Thinking of one night stands caused Frank to grimace momentarily, because that brought back memories - or lack thereof - of whatever had happened to him a few nights ago. Being with Gerard had made him forget about his strange sexual encounter for a little while, and that was a feat in and of itself, because that was all Frank had been able to think of for the past two days.

But Frank didn't want to dwell on that right now, not when he had a stunning man sitting across from him giving him a quizzical look, probably because of the grimace on his face, and Frank needed to tune back into their conversation, because he had lost track of what they were talking about completely by this point.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying? I kind of drifted off there," Frank chuckled, hoping that Gerard didn't think he was boring Frank, because he really wasn't - quite the opposite actually, and Frank truly did feel bad for ignoring him.

"Oh it's okay, I was just thanking you for this - showing me around and stuff, and you know...spending the evening with me. I've been having a really great time." Gerard blushed as he spoke, and Frank couldn't get over how fucking adorable he looked with red tinted cheeks.

"It was my pleasure - really. I haven't been on a date in _ages_ , so I should be thanking you for offering to take me out." Frank smiled widely as he took a final sip of his coffee, draining the lukewarm liquid quickly.

" _A date_ \- is that what this?" Gerard stammered out, his blush intensifying as he gazed as Frank hopefully.

"Well _yeah_ \- if you want it to be that is."

"I do - I _really_ do." Gerard's smile lit up the room, and Frank would do anything to see that expression on his face more often.

"Sorry boys, we are closing up," the barista who had been serving them all night told them as she walked by, and when Frank glanced down at his watch, he was shocked to see that it was already ten 'o clock.

"Sorry, we are leaving now." Frank grinned apologetically at the barista before stepping out of the booth, reaching for Gerard's hand as he tugged him to his feet.

Once they were outside in the cool night air, Frank turned around so he could meet Gerard's eyes, and he was caught off guard by the look Gerard was giving him. It was so open, honest - _raw_ even, and Frank could almost feel the adoration pouring off of him in waves.

"I know I'm being totally selfish, but I don't want you to leave just yet," Gerard admitted softly when Frank didn't say anything, he was too distracted by staring into Gerard's gorgeous eyes to form coherent words at the moment.

"Well...you can walk me home if you want to," Frank giggled quietly, stepping closer to Gerard as he spoke, hoping that Gerard would catch onto his silent invitation.

"I'd like that," Gerard smiled, his hands fidgeting nervously at his sides as he chewed on his bottom lip, "and...would it be okay if I kissed you?" Gerard murmured quietly, obviously picking up on Frank's body language.

"Please?" Frank whispered, letting his eyes flutter shut as Gerard's fingers cupped his cheek gently.

And then Gerard's lips were on his, and Frank was melting into his touch as Gerard kissed him tenderly. Frank's entire body was aflame with something, fireworks were erupting in his blood stream and he was actually getting lightheaded as a strong rush of emotions overtook his brain.

Even though this kiss was plain and chaste, just a simple peck of the lips really, Frank couldn't remember ever feeling this way before, and he wanted more of it, so he leaned in closer, pushing their lips together with a little more force, and Gerard went with him willingly.

Suddenly, strange images began to flicker across Frank's closed eyelids; a dark room, Gerard in front of him, kissing him ravenously, an insatiable lust, and then - _nothing_.

Frank pulled away rapidly, breathing heavily as he leaned against Gerard's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat under his ear. Gerard immediately put his arms around Frank, and Frank took a moment to snuggle deeper into his hold, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened.

He had seen something, something to do with _Gerard_ , but even though the vision had just happened maybe a few seconds ago, Frank couldn't remember what it was, and no matter how hard he wracked his brain, he couldn't seem to pull anything to the surface.

"Was that okay?" Gerard asked nervously, and it was only then that Frank realized that he hadn't said a word since the kiss had ended.

"Yeah - it was _perfect_ ," Frank smiled up at Gerard, and it truly had been. Frank's lips were still tingling slightly, and he was pretty sure that had been the best first kiss of his entire life.

"Well come on, I need to get you home," Gerard sighed, pressing his lips against Frank's forehead gently before disentangling himself from Frank.

They walked in a companionable silence, and even though long pauses without any conversation usually made Frank uncomfortable, this was anything but that. Just being around Gerard relaxed Frank, and it only took him a few minutes to forget about whatever he had seen when they kissed entirely.

Much too soon for Frank's liking, they reached the door to his home, and Frank began frantically wracking his brain for something that could make Gerard stay longer. Frank didn't want this night to end, and even though he didn't usually invite people in after the first date - it was a bit _forward_ after all - he found himself considering it with Gerard.

"So...thanks again Frank, I _really_ like you, and maybe we can do this again?" Gerard asked shyly as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Frank noticed that he kept glancing down toward the ground before his eyes would shoot back up to Frank's face, and Frank loved how Gerard was just a little bit shy instead of cocky and confident like most of the guys who hit on him lately.

"Yes - _please_ , I want to see you again," Frank responded, probably a bit too eagerly, but he _really_ liked Gerard too, and he wasn't letting him slip away that easily.

"Well I'm free pretty much every afternoon, so I'll stop by soon yeah?" Gerard grinned, and Frank couldn't resist grabbing his shirt and pulling him in for a quick kiss.

"Don't wait too long," Frank smirked when he finally released his grip on Gerard, but Gerard instantly caught hold of his hands again before they could drop to his sides.

"I won't," Gerard promised, squeezing Frank's fingers tightly before reluctantly letting them go and turning around.

"Wait - do you want to come in?" Frank called out at the last second, because he really didn't want Gerard to leave, and even though he wasn't sure if he was ready to have sex with him yet - they had only met today after all, he probably wouldn't say no if the night led to that.

"I _want_ to...but I promised my brother I would be home tonight - maybe next time?" Gerard sounded truly torn, and even though Frank wanted Gerard to stay, he was also impressed by the fact that he cared about his brother enough to not cancel on him for some guy he had only just met.

"Yeah for sure," Frank smiled weakly, trying not to show his disappointment on his face.

"God don't look at me like that or I won't be able to leave..." Gerard whined softly, taking a step closer to Frank in the process.

"I can't help the fact that I'm cute," Frank teased, leaning forward slightly in the hopes of one more kiss.

Gerard didn't disappoint, and before Frank could react, Gerard had him pushed up against his front door, kissing him with a feverish urgency that their last kiss hadn't contained. Frank couldn't help but gasp slightly, and he let out an embarrassing moan when Gerard slipped his tongue into his mouth.

Frank could barely hold himself up as Gerard continued to explore his mouth, his bones had turned to jelly, and it was only thanks to the fact that Gerard was pressing him up against the door that he hadn't collapsed yet.

Gerard pulled away much too soon in Frank's opinion, and even though he tried to reel him back in for another kiss, Gerard gently pulled away, but not before touching his lips against Frank's one last time.

"I'm so sorry...but I have to go sugar," Gerard whispered, his breath brushing against Frank's face as he spoke. Frank swooned internally at his new pet name, and he wanted Gerard to call him that again, preferably in the bedroom next time, but he was getting a bit ahead of himself.

"I know... _just_ \- come back soon okay?" Frank asked one last time, not even a little bit embarrassed about how badly he wanted to see Gerard again.

"I promise," Gerard smiled, waving to Frank as he hurried off down the dimly light street.

As Frank watched Gerard disappear from view, he felt the odd desire to chase after him, to drag him inside and refuse to let him leave. Frank didn't know why he felt this possessive over someone he had only been on one date with, but Frank couldn't deny the strong surge of emotions that rose up out of nowhere, and he had to physically bite his lip to stop himself from calling out after Gerard.

It was like being separated from Gerard caused a physical ache in his body, and each step he took away from him caused the sensation to intensify, but Frank was just overacting. He hadn't been with someone for so long, he was probably just being unusually clingy, and he could wait a few days to see Gerard again - _right_?


	19. Safe At Last

"There's been another killing Sammy, I told you that vamp isn't dead," Dean announced as he threw open the door to the ratty motel room they were currently staying at, causing Sam to glance up wearily, his mouth falling open in a silent gasp when he realized it was already dark outside, and he had severely lost track of the time, which happened to him quite often, but he hadn't expected night to have fallen so quickly.

"I saw," Sam responded, his eyes fixating back onto his laptop screen which he had been staring at for the past few hours, even though the bright light was starting to give him a killer headache.

"Now we just need to find the fucker, I swear - I asked everyone in town if they had seen someone matching his description, but I keep coming up with a whole lot of nothing," Dean groaned, kicking his boots off before collapsing onto Sam's bed, jolting Sam in the process.

"Please tell me that you were at least _slightly_ discrete?" Sam raised one eyebrow in Dean's direction. He had thought his brother was simply dropping by the police station to see if any more witness reports had come in, not going out to interrogate innocent civilians, and knowing Dean's way with people, he had probably drawn a lot of unwanted suspicion instead of any actual information.

"Sammy...I'm hurt - _of course_ I was, said I was looking for my long lost brother, no one even looked at me funny," Dean chuckled, completely missing the subtle shake of Sam's head at his brother's impulsiveness, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

"So no one knew who he was?" Sam finally spoke up when it seemed that Dean wasn't going to elaborate any further.

"Nah...I got a few false leads, but no one who matches our vamp perfectly, which is weird. He's been hanging around this town for a while now, so I was sure someone would have seen him, besides the corpses in the morgue that is, and they aren't exactly the most talkative of people," Dean huffed out, rolling over onto his stomach so he could peer at what Sam had currently pulled up on his laptop. "Why the hell are you searching for rumors on vampire coven locations, I told you - this is just one crazy vamp, not an entire horde of them."

"I'm just being safe Dean, and this whole situation is really giving me the creeps. This was supposed to be a rogue vampire, which should have been an easy gank him and go, but it's obviously not that. These killings are too careful, too _planned_ , but at the same time, still totally random. A rogue wouldn't be so discreet with the location, they would be killing left and right, but this vamp knows what he is doing. He is only killing late at night when no witnesses are around, the victims are almost always heavily intoxicated, so it seems like a normal vamp feeding, but they don't eat to kill, because they know we will come after them if they do..." Sam trailed off, shaking his head in frustration in the hopes that some answer would appear out of the depths of his brain if he jostled it hard enough, but really, it only intensified his growing migraine.

"You are worrying too much Sammy, we just need to find that black haired vamp, and this will all be over. Even if he isn't the killer, he has to be involved somehow, maybe he knows the rogue, and they are partners or some shit," Dean offered up with a helpless shrug.

"No - that doesn't make sense; sane vampires ignore rogues, they shun them or eliminate them, and even if they didn't, a rogue wouldn't work with anyone, even another vampire, all they want is blood - hell, they would probably turn on their own kind if they were hungry enough," Sam protested, even though he knew that Dean wasn't being completely serious, and he was just throwing out the first theory that popped into his head in the hopes that Sam would shut up.

"I'll admit this isn't a typical case, but we need to start with what we know, which is that a vamp is in town, and now we have to track him down," Dean shot back stubbornly, leaving Sam to sighing heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"I think I figured out where I have seen him before - the vamp that is. He was one of those kids that robbed Freddy's convenient store back in Michigan, or if that wasn't him, he has a twin," Sam murmured, having previously mentioned the vampire's familiarity to his brother, even though Dean seemed to have no recollection of their last meeting, but Sam had finally remembered the odd encounter with the two young vampires halfway through his random internet browsing session.

"Oh yeah - _god_ , I had almost forgotten about that, we had just finished a case right, and we didn't even know those two were vamps - fucking hell, I thought we were in big trouble there for one second," Dean chuckled wryly, his eyes glazing over as he relived the experience.

" _See_ \- this backs up my point that this vamp isn't a killer; he could have torn out our throats in that alley, hell - he had two opportunities to kill us, but he didn't, in fact, he ran both times," Sam continued to argue, hoping that Dean would admit that he was right for once. It wasn't as if he was opposed to taking our the strange vampire they kept running into, he just didn't want Dean to believe the job was finished once he was dead, because Sam was convinced he wasn't the murderer, and he didn't want to leave this town to suffer by ganking the wrong vamp and taking off.

"Well...I don't know Sammy, and what about that lanky one he was with, he could have gone rogue, and maybe the other one is trying to protect him, they seemed close."

"That is a possibility," Sam paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts, his mind running at one hundred miles an hour as he tried to think of a more plausible explanation, "but even if neither of them has gone rogue, we also have to wonder what they are doing here, because I highly doubt they followed us all the way from Michigan. They are obviously orphans, and what do all vampires without a home search for?" Sam waited patiently for Dean to catch on to his train of thought, and after a minute of silence, his brother's eyes finally lit up with understanding.

"A coven - _oh shit_ ," Dean groaned, snatching Sam's laptop so he could look over the information he had pulled up earlier.

"Exactly," Sam smirked, satisfaction bubbling in his gut once he and his brother were on the same page, and maybe now they could finally make some progress on this case.

~~~

Brendon rushed through the streets of the coven hurriedly, heading toward where the bond in his mind sensed Ryan was currently at, which wasn't at home, but he wasn't far either, and when Pete's familiar house came into view, Brendon realized he must still be trying to console their friend.

Brendon didn't want to disrupt his mate, but he needed his help finding a book, and he knew looking for it by himself would be a waste of time. Brendon couldn't even remember it's exact title, but he knew Ryan would be able to, and he also knew that he had a copy stored in their house somewhere, Brendon just had no idea where.

The book in question was an old autobiography written by a vampire named William, one of the few vampires who had openly mated with a human, and he had decided to record his findings so other vampires would see that is was possible to carry on a relationship with a human in the hope that his story would help ease some of the tension between the two races.

He had been wrong of course, because too many vampires would never forgive the humans for what they had done, so his book had been banned almost immediately, and very few covens contained a copy, but Ryan had been fascinated by the subject, so he had managed to secret his version away from prying eyes.

William had been born in this coven, but Brendon had never met him, he had disappeared years ago with his human lover, no one was quite sure where, but Brendon hoped they were happy, and he also prayed that Frank and Gerard would be as well, if Brendon's suspicions about them were correct that is.

Gerard still hadn't returned, and Brendon had gotten tired of Ray's never ending questions about how mating with a human could possibly work. Since he couldn't recall all of the details of William and his human lover's relationship - Brendon thought his name was Gabe - he had decided to go dig up the book so the other vampires could read it for themselves, leaving them in the church to wait for Gerard while he searched.

Brendon pushed open the door to Pete's house quietly, his eyes immediately searching for his mate, but he became distracted by the state of disrepair the interior was in. Cracked mirrors hung haphazardly on the walls, and even the windows seemed to have suffered some damage, giving the room a post apocalyptic feel that had Brendon instantly on edge.

"Baby?" Brendon called out, cautiously peeking his head into the living room where he found his boyfriend half asleep, sprawled out on the recliner in what looked like a very uncomfortable position.

"Hmm?" Ryan mumbled groggily, his eyes fluttering open softly.

"Hey...are you okay - what happened here?" Brendon asked as he strode over to his mate's side.

"You're back," Ryan managed to choke out mid yawn, a smile splitting his face in two as he shifted in his chair.

"Yeah I am, but did you and Pete throw a crazy house party or something while I was gone?" Brendon joked, but by the state of the living room, and the fact that Pete also seemed to be passed out on the couch did make it seem like some sort of bender had occurred here, even though Brendon highly doubted that's actually what had happened.

"I wish... _actually_ \- I have no idea what went on before I got here. I came over to check on Pete, and I found the house a wreck - glass was everywhere, but he was fast asleep. I've been waiting for him to wake up all day, but he hasn't budged," Ryan sighed, his eyes flickering over to the still form that was Pete.

"Oh god...we shouldn't have let him go home," Brendon groaned, his heart twisting in pain as he imagined what Pete must have gone through last night.

"Do you think he did this because of Mikey?" Ryan asked.

"I can't think of any other explanation, even though it doesn't seem like a very Pete-like thing to do - _still_ , I shouldn't have left him alone...I should have known this whole Mikey thing would fuck him up." Brendon hung his head, just the thought of his friend lashing out in an attempt to deal with the terrible feeling of being rejected by his mate made his stomach churn uncomfortably with guilt.

"Hey...it's okay Bren, it's not your fault," Ryan chided him softly, wrapping his arms around his mate and tugging him into his lap gently.

"I know...I just feel bad, but at least he is asleep now."

"He must not have been getting a lot of rest lately, he's been out of it for ages, I kept going over and checking to make sure he was still breathing," Ryan chuckled weakly.

"He probably stayed up all day thinking about Mikey," Brendon mumbled softly, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his mate's head lovingly.

"So did you find Mikey's brother?" Ryan asked after a few moments of silence, causing Brendon to jump slightly as he recalled his original reason for searching Ryan out.

"Yes - well, _sort of_ , but he should be coming back to the church any minute. I actually only came down here because I need your help with something."

"Oh?" Ryan arched one eyebrow teasingly, causing Brendon to emit a quiet giggle before continuing.

"I think Mikey's brother has mated with a human - with Frank actually, and Mikey and Ray are a bit skeptic about the whole thing."

"Our Frank? So he's okay then?" Ryan exclaimed, a look of relief passing over his face when Brendon nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, I saw them together not too long ago, and he looked really happy. I think Gerard probably fed from him earlier on which explains the bite we saw, but he seemed to be treating Frank kindly, so I don't think we have to worry about Gerard hurting him if he really has bonded with him. Ray and Mikey have never heard of vampires mating with humans though, so I need to show them that book written by William Beckett. Hopefully that will alleviate their fears, and answer all of the questions they keep bombarding me with." Brendon stood up reluctantly, tugging Ryan to his feet with an outstretched hand.

"Oh yeah - I almost forgot I had that, I think I locked it up in that chest in the basement. Do you want me to come with you...I don't know if we should leave Pete alone just in case he wakes up." Ryan shot Pete a worried glance, and even though Brendon could see Ryan's point, he also knew they had numerous chests in their storage room, and it would probably take him ages to locate the key to the correct one.

"I think he will be fine for a little bit, and I should get back up to the church soon before Bert realizes that I left the new vampires unattended," Brendon begged, because he really wanted Ryan's help with this - hell, he probably wouldn't even recognize the book on sight if Ryan didn't point it out to him.

"Okay - come on then, let's make this quick."

~~~

Gerard approached the run down church with a smile on his face, part of it caused by the fact that he was about to be reunited with his brother, but a large majority of his current happiness sprouted from his afternoon with Frank, and even though Gerard was desperate to see Mikey again, a portion of his heart ached to be back in Frank's arms.

 _God_ \- just thinking his name caused a small shiver of joy to wrack Gerard's body, an image of the dark haired man floating into his mind unbidden, and Gerard smiled softly to himself as he replayed the events from their date in his mind.

Gerard had no idea what he had expected to happen when he knocked on Frank's door earlier this evening, but what had followed had blown his highest expectations out of the water. Frank had been interested in him, Frank had allowed him to take him out on a date, Frank had _kissed_ him, and that kiss had been fucking mind blowing - much better than the sloppy lust filled kisses that they had shared previously, even though Frank couldn't recall those, so in a way, that had been their first kiss.

It has been another first for Gerard as well, because that moment with Frank had been the only time Gerard had kissed someone without ulterior motives in mind, no promises of sex or feeding lurking underneath the simple gesture, it was just a _kiss_ \- nothing more and nothing less, and Frank had been the only person Gerard had ever experienced that with.

Gerard had been insanely nervous when Frank agreed to go out with him, because Gerard had never been on a proper date, and only the few films he had watched had helped him formulate an idea about what they should typically involve, which seemed to be a lot of small talk, ending with a kiss if it went well, but even armed with that knowledge, Gerard had pretty much been winging it.

He had no idea what to say to Frank, socializing wasn't his strong point, which wasn't exactly his fault, seeing as how he only ever interacted with Mikey and Ray - his random hookups didn't count, but being around Frank hadn't felt awkward or strange, in fact, his presence gave off a comforting aura, and Gerard had found himself becoming more and more relaxed as time passed.

Frank was just so interesting, and even though Gerard easily got lost when he started talking about music and other current things like that, he didn't even care, because he got to hear Frank's voice, and he would probably have been perfectly content listening to Frank read the dictionary to be honest.

Still, Gerard had been worried that he had fucked up, and he hadn't gotten the date right when Frank didn't immediately kiss him, but when Gerard had asked if he could, the look of want in Frank's eyes made all of his previous concerns fly out the window, and from then on, Gerard had no more doubts, because when they kissed, his bond with Frank seemed to intensify, and he was literally enveloped in Frank's adoration for him when their lips met.

Gerard's lips still seemed to be tingling slightly, even though it had been almost fifteen minutes since he had last touched Frank, and he couldn't help but run the tip of his finger over them absentmindedly, recalling the way it had felt to have Frank's mouth pressed against his own, the soft sighs he let out as he melted into Gerard's touch, the dazed look in his eyes when they had finally pulled apart.

And even though the kisses had obviously been spectacular, the best part of the evening had been the way Frank seemed to reciprocate Gerard's affections, the way he couldn't seem to keep his mouth off of Gerard's once that barrier had been broken, the way he hadn't wanted to let Gerard leave; Gerard could feel his reluctance in their bond, he could sense it when Frank had to physically bite his tongue to refrain from calling after him, and that meant the world to Gerard, more than any amount of physical assurances he could ever receive.

Frank might not be able to mate with him, but he cared about Gerard, he wanted to see him again, and Gerard was going to make sure that happened as soon as possible. They might be different species, and this entire romance could be doomed to fail from the start, but Gerard didn't care, because right now, everything was _perfect_ , and he couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy.

Gerard had entered the church by now, and even though he wasn't that far from Frank's house, the distance still left a pang of loneliness in Gerard's chest. He allowed himself to image what would have happened if he had stayed, how many more soft kisses they would share, and maybe more, how their limbs would wrap together as their actions became more heated, how much more special it would be now that Frank returned Gerard's feelings, and he wasn't just a random fuck.

But the reason for Gerard's retreat was sitting in one of the aging pews, his face lighting up as soon as Gerard stepped into view, and for one moment, Gerard managed to push all thoughts of Frank from his mind - which was quite a feat - and without any conscious thought, Gerard's body was launching itself across the room so he could pull Mikey into a loving embrace.

"Gee, _oh thank god_ \- you are safe," Mikey cried out, his voice muffled against Gerard's chest as Gerard clutched onto him tightly, a small tremor wracking Mikey's body as his breathed in deeply, and Gerard knew his brother well enough to realize that he was holding back tears.

"It's okay Mikes, don't cry, I'm here," Gerard murmured, ruffling Mikey's hair affectionately before releasing his hold on him so he could move on to Ray, tugging him in for a quick hug as well.

"I'm so glad you are back," Ray chuckled happily, his eyes shining with unshed tears as well, and Gerard found himself choking up at the emotional reunion.

Gerard hadn't allowed himself to think negatively before now, but a small portion of his mind had been terrified that he would never see his brother and Ray again, but now they were back together once more, and Gerard was going to do everything in his power to make sure they stayed that way.

"I told you I would be, and thank you Ray, for listening to my instructions the other night, and for watching after Mikey."

"Of course, even though if you do anything like that again, I retain the right to punch you for being such an idiot," Ray joked, but Gerard didn't miss the serious nature in his tone. That was just fine with him though - he wasn't planning on having another near death experience anytime soon, and if he found himself in one again, he would let Ray talk him out of any stupid heroics next time.

"So...where have you guys been staying? I have been bouncing around, but I found a pretty decent sized cave not far from here that is protected from the sun." Gerard's brow furrowed when he noticed Mikey and Ray sharing an amused smile, and no matter how hard he wracked his brain, he couldn't find anything even remotely funny about his previous statement. "What?" Gerard huffed, crossing his arms self-consciously as Mikey's lips pulled into a true grin, which was a rare expression on the usually stony faced vampire.

"Gee, we don't have to keep looking anymore, because we found it, there is a coven here, we have a _home_ ," Mikey explained, and even though Gerard found his words hard to believe, he couldn't deny the truthful expression on Mikey's face.

And as the realization sunk in, Gerard's mouth dropped open slightly, and an intense rush of relief flowed throughout his veins, releasing tense muscles that he hadn't even been aware of until this exact moment. It was _over_ , no more running, no more hiding in fear, no more empty bellies and leaves for beds, no more fear, and _fuck_ \- Gerard had never thought this day would come, but now that it was here, he felt as if he might weep from joy.

He was safe now, and even better than that, he could stay here, in Belleville, with Frank. Gerard had thought everything had been perfect before, but this blew his previous definition out of the water. Not knowing what else to do, Gerard attacked Mikey in another embrace, holding tightly to his brother as his emotions threatened to bring him to his knees, but this time, it wasn't because of despair, or hopelessness - no - it was in the best way possible.


	20. Why Not Thow In Some Gabilliam To This Train Wreck Of A Story

Gerard found himself alone for the first time all night, his brain churning rapidly as he tried his best to process everything that had occurred over such a short span of time, from growing the courage to talk to Frank, to their date, to kissing the man he couldn't get out of his head, to finding Mikey and Ray once again, to meeting Brendon and Ryan, to having a _home_ \- an actual place he could stay in for more than one night, with no chances of humans stumbling upon his hiding place, or the sun slipping in while he slept.

Gerard had been in a permanent state of shock and awe ever since Mikey had informed him that they had found the elusive coven that Gerard hadn't truly allowed himself to believe existed, and even once Mikey's words had finally sunk in, Gerard's mind was still wrapped in a cloud of protective denial, because although he knew Mikey wouldn't lie to him, this all seemed too good to be true, and Gerard had quickly learned over his short life that nothing this supposedly perfect was as wonderful as it appeared at first.

But when another vampire entered the church not long after their affectionate reunion, Gerard finally let himself believe that this wasn't some forgery made to trick Gerard into letting his guard down; this was _real_ , this was happening, and it wasn't a dream, or a beautiful image crafted by Mikey's murmurings about how wonderful everything would be when they were able to live in peace, and that realization almost broke Gerard with the sheer intensity of it.

Once Gerard pulled himself out of his head and back to reality, even though he was still half convinced this was all one very vivid hallucination, he found that he had missed a large majority of what the young vampire who had approached them had been saying, something about rules, and how he was so glad to finally meet him, and _oh_ \- his name was Brendon by the way, and he would be more than happy to show him around the coven if Gerard was up for it.

Gerard nodded mutely, still too wonderstruck to formulate coherent words, letting Brendon speak enough for the both of them as the floppy haired vampire escorted them into the bowels of the earth where the coven was supposedly located, Mikey and Ray grinning like idiots every time they caught sight of Gerard's bewildered expression.

Brendon was an excellent tour guide, even though he kept apologizing for the fact that the coven leader was unavailable for the night, so Gerard would have to wait to be properly inundated until tomorrow, glossing over what Bert would mostly likely tell him so Gerard would be prepared.

" _Oh_ -" Brendon had paused during a seemingly endless rant about hunting regulations, "you also can't leave the coven without explicit permission."

"What?" Gerard's head had snapped around of its own accord, a vision of Frank instantly rising to the forefront of his mind, a sad expression plastered on his face caused by Gerard's sudden disappearance. "I - I _can't_ , I have someone...I need..." Gerard trailed off awkwardly, attempting to think of a lie since he couldn't let anyone know about his bond with Frank.

"Oh I know all about you and Frank, and don't worry, I won't stop you from seeing him, I only told you that to make sure you are careful when you sneak out - I will show you the back entrance to the coven later on when everyone else is asleep," Brendon smiled happily, either ignoring, or completely missing the incredulous look that Gerard shot his way.

"How the fuck... _what_ -" Gerard stumbled over his words, the sentence getting tangled up in the rush of confusion caused by the fact that Brendon was somehow aware that he was interested in a human, he knew Frank's name, and not only that, the information didn't seem to bother him at all.

"I know Frank, he is my friend, and I saw you with him tonight," Brendon chuckled, shaking his head from side to side when Gerard continued to stare blankly at him.

"You...you don't care that I - that he..." Gerard's eyes darted to the side, making sure that Mikey and Ray were out of earshot, because as much as he trusted them, he had no idea how they would react to his relationship with Frank since they weren't the biggest fans of humans in general.

"That you mated with him? No - I don't, as long as you don't hurt him, and I will know if you do. I saw that fucking bite mark, and I trust you won't do that again without his permission." Brendon raised one eyebrow as he waited for Gerard's reply, making his abnormally large forehead appear even more spacious than it already did.

"I - I didn't mean to...I was _dying_ , and Frank was too tempting to resist, but I swear - I won't drink from him again, not unless he asks me to," Gerard promised, and he _really_ fucking meant it, because as much as he yearned for a second taste of Frank's intoxicating blood, he couldn't bite Frank again without his consent, because everything that followed after that would be faked, and Gerard wanted Frank to actually want him because he truly felt that way, not because of some toxins in his body that were forcing him too.

"Okay good," Brendon nodded, dropping the matter entirely as he dragged them off in a different direction, pointing out people and buildings that Gerard would never remember the name or purpose of, but he didn't have the heart to tell Brendon to slow down so he could have a chance to commit all the terms to memory.

After an indeterminate amount of time, they made their way to what was apparently Brendon's home that he shared with his mate, whose name was Ryan, and when the new vampire greeted them as they walked into the kitchen, Gerard couldn't help but smile when he noticed the way that Brendon's face instantly lit up, his feet making their way to his mate's side as if Ryan was a magnet that affected only Brendon.

As Gerard observed them talking together, he noticed that Brendon and Ryan seemed like polar opposites; Brendon was loud and overtly friendly, kindhearted and almost obnoxious at times, while Ryan appeared nervous and shy around strangers, his eyes staying glued to Brendon, only occasionally glancing over to the new arrivals, anything he had to say being softly whispered instead of proudly enunciated like Brendon's words.

But for some reason, Gerard felt a strange kinship to Ryan, even though he couldn't understand why he felt that way, because he had barely known Ryan for ten minutes by this point, but he was already comfortable around him; he related to his nervous energy, his skittish movements and awkward half laughs, and Gerard hoped that he would get the opportunity to spend more time with Ryan eventually.

After an impromptu dinner, which Brendon had borderline forced Gerard, Mikey, and Ray to stay for, they found themselves sprawled out on random pieces of furniture, sharing stories of the past and hopes for the future, and it was only when Gerard's eyes began slipping shut on their own accord that Mikey suggested that they retire to their own house for the night - _their own house_ \- fucking hell, Gerard would never get tired of hearing those words.

Brendon and Ryan instantly agreed, apologizing for keeping their guests up so late. Brendon made sure to escort them home, even though Mikey insisted that it wasn't necessary. It didn't take them long before they reached another building which looked very similar to Brendon and Ryan's in structure, but it felt different somehow, maybe because it was Gerard's _home_ \- Gerard's and Mikey's and Ray's, and for a few brief seconds, Gerard almost forgot about Frank since the first time he had met him, because now he had a place to call his own, and a family to share it with, and no matter how much he longed for his mate, he was more content in this moment than he had been in ages.

Gerard had wandered inside without a word, leaving his friends and brother behind for the time being so he could take in the house that was now his home with his own eyes, his body moving without any conscious thought as he ran his hands over the furniture and few possessions that Mikey and Ray had already scattered across the small space.

The sudden appearance of Brendon behind him startled Gerard out of the daze he had been in ever since he entered the building, a soft gasp leaving his mouth when the vampire tapped him gently on the shoulder, a sudden flush of embarrassment tainting his cheeks when Brendon chuckled loudly at his reaction.

"Here," Brendon spoke up when his laughter finally died in his throat, his hands holding up an almost pristine looking book in his palms, the title imprinted on the front in small silver letters that Gerard couldn't quite make out. "This might help you understand your relationship with Frank a little better. I haven't read it all myself, but Ryan has, he knew the vampire who wrote it. It's about how he mated with a human, and...uh - just make sure no one but you sees it. This book isn't exactly allowed in the coven, but Ryan is my little rule breaker."

"Thank you," Gerard whispered, gently taking the book out of Brendon's hands, peering down at the cover more closely until he could decipher the title, which was called _'Everything We Had'_. "I will make sure to be very careful with this."

~~~

Hours after Brendon had left, Gerard finally had a chance to return to the book he had left in his room after catching up with Mikey and Ray, filling them in on everything that had happened during their short separation, except his mating with Frank. Gerard ached to tell them of course, but he didn't want to ruin their reunion with the news that he was now bonded to a human, so he danced around that particular bit of information the best he could. When Mikey announced that they were going to retire to his and Ray's bedroom, Gerard had to bite back his smile, eager to lose himself in the gift of words that Brendon had provided him with.

It took Gerard quite a while to bring himself to actually open the book; instead, he wasted countless minutes running his fingers over the embossed lettering, trying to force himself to just get this over with, but at the same time, wanting to prolong this moment for as long as possible, because while this book might provide him with the answers he needed to live a happy life with Frank, it could also crush all of his newfound hopes, destroying any chance he had of making this fucked up situation with Frank into something worth pursuing.

But in the end, Gerard's curiosity won out, because good news or bad news, he had to know what lay beneath the cover of this book, he had to discover the reason behind Brendon giving this treasure to him, because Brendon wouldn't have trusted Gerard with something so important if he hadn't thought it would help him in some way - _right_?

So with shaking hands, Gerard cracked open the surprisingly stiff spine, allowing his hungry eyes to drink in the words that seemed to jump off the paper at him, even the few simple sentence which made up the title page causing a flurry of excitement to fill Gerard's chest as he inhaled deeply.

_Everything We Had_

_By William Beckett_

_A story of love in all the wrong places and misconceptions that I truly hope will change one day soon._

Gerard turned the page eagerly, desperate to read William's story for himself so he could see if it mirrored his situation with Frank in any way, and _really_ \- Gerard was already ninety-nine percent convinced that it would.

_To whomever is reading this, you most likely do not know me, you may even hate me for what I have done and the choices I have made, but I am here to tell you that I don't care, that I regret nothing, and if given the chance, I would not change a single thing that led me to fall in love with a human, because despite what you may think, biting Gabe Saporta, and sequentially mating with him was the best thing that has ever happened to me, and maybe by recording my story on paper, I will be able to make you see that._

Gerard quickly noticed that the chapters were set up in a diary-like fashion, and whoever this William was hadn't attempted to take any creative license with his novel; instead, he did his best to portray all of the emotions he was experiencing as accurately as possible while still maintaining a poetic prose.

_For those of you who do not know me, if by some miracle my name has managed to remain unscathed in any region of the vampire world, I will fill you in on the important yet mundane details of my life. As already stated above, I am William Beckett, and once this book is published, I will be one hundred and seventy years old approximately, placing my birth just after the horrors of the purge had begun to die down, but still leaving me with a bitter hatred of humans, forged by their horrendous acts against my kin._

_My coven mostly escaped the ravages of the purge, hidden underground and protected by our valiant leader Bert McCracken, but others were not so lucky, and at a young age, I was introduced to the brutality of humans, eavesdropping on whispered conversations held between the elders about the atrocities I had been lucky enough to escape, but I still felt the powerful rumbles of the sorrowful shockwave vibrating through my skin every day._

Gerard began to skip ahead through most of the background chapters at this point, eager to reach the part where William first met Gabe, vowing to return and read the entire book more thoroughly at a later date.

After much page turning and back tracking, Gerard finally found the segment of the book he had been so desperate to find, his heart skipping in his chest as he forced his eyes to focus on the printed words which seemed to dance off the page as a byproduct of his excitement.

_It was not long after my hundredth birthday that I met the man who would change my life forever, but at the time, he was nothing to me, a hatred filled sack of skin and bones, but most importantly - blood. He was meant to be my next meal, the vessel holding it unimportant and not worth my time once I had taken what I wanted, but instead, he became my life, my reason for existence, my lover, my mate._

Gerard's heart swelled as he continued to read, because the way that William described Gabe was exactly how Gerard had originally felt about Frank; he wasn't supposed to be important, _hell_ \- he wasn't meant to be anything except for a way to keep Gerard alive for another day, but now Gerard couldn't imagine living without Frank's infectious smile and soft kisses to look forward to.

_I came across Gabe in our typical hunting ground at the time, downtown in a seedy club whose name has faded from my memory as the years passed, but that is where we always fed back then, preying on the intoxicated humans easily, stealing pleasure and blood from them in equal amounts._

_Because of what followed between Gabe and I, Bert was forced to rethink the way we fed, unwilling to allow another relationship between humans and vampires to blossom because of his carelessness, so to any of you reading this that happen to live in my old coven, I apologize for being the source of your loss of freedom, but as I stated before, I do not regret it, and I hope you have found a way around Bert's strict regulations based on fear, no matter what drivel he spouts claiming that is only for your own safety._

Gerard chuckled softly to himself at this passage, because even though he had yet to meet Bert, and he had no idea if the coven leader was a kind vampire or not, he felt a flare of exhilaration when he realized that he had managed to thwart him by finding Frank. As much as this vampire wanted to, he would not be able to stop Gerard from seeing his mate again, and Gerard found himself wondering how many other relationships like his were going on underneath Bert's nose without his knowledge.

 _Gabe instantly caught my eye, and to this day, I can't tell you why I was initially drawn to him, besides_ _the fact that he was my mate, but I didn't know that yet. Unlike vampires, eye contact is not enough to awaken the bond between humans and vampires, blood must be exchanged before either party is made aware of the true feelings hidden underneath the barrier separating the species._

_But still - there was just something about Gabe that captured my attention; the first thing I remember about him was his smell, it was unlike any other blood scent I had ever experienced before. It carried more than the usual coppery tang that made my mouth water, even underneath the heady stench of alcohol was an ethereal aroma that had my nose tingling and my body moving across the bar without a second thought._

_I wish I could describe Gabe's scent, but it is too unique to be captured by my paltry attempt at words; if I had to try, I would say that it is something like mangos mixed with morning dew, the sap of fresh pine interspersed within it as well, and believe me, he tastes even better than he smells, but I am getting ahead of myself a bit._

Gerard smiled to himself when he recalled his first - and perhaps _only_ experience with Frank's blood, and hearing William's description of Gabe's scent made Gerard feel slightly less ridiculous for naming Frank's blood with flavors like vanilla and sunshine, the fact that Gerard wasn't the only one who had tasted so much more in his mate convincing him that Frank was truly meant to be his, not that he had much doubt left on that subject by this point.

_Gabe took ages to notice my presence, his alcohol soaked brain too busy gazing down at his shoes as if they were the most interesting thing in the world before he finally met my stare, his countenance instantly brightening when he realized that someone had taken an interest in him, even if it was only for the night._

_And that was all it was supposed to be, all I ever intended to happen; I was going to follow Gabe home - which his invitation made much easier to do, we would fuck, I would steal some of his blood, and that would be it. Then I would go back to my coven, satiated for the time being before my thirst drove me outside once again._

_But Gabe was so much more than I bargained for in every way, and even before I had bitten him, I knew I wouldn't be able to forget him. His kisses were like fire to my ice encased heart, each touch of his lips melting the barrier away until I was the one desperate and panting, begging for Gabe to touch me instead of the other way around._

_And when his blood hit my tongue, I was lost, because I knew in that moment that he was my mate, as soon as his brown eyes met mine I couldn't deny that he meant something to me, even though I immediately went into a state of extreme denial, sneaking out of Gabe's house as soon as his breathing evened out, not bothering to leave a note as to why I had left so soon, because there was no way I could explain what I was feeling to a mere human, and Gabe most likely didn't expect me too; I was nothing more than a hookup to him, if only I had felt the same way._

_I didn't leave the coven for weeks after that, too terrified of the slim possibility of running into Gabe again to risk making an appearance in the outside world, even though my mind was constantly plagued with Gabe's face, the sounds he made, the way he looked at me, so in a manner of speaking, it was as if I had never left his bed, and eventually, my hunger forced me to abandon my self-imposed solitude. I returned to my usual hunting grounds in the hopes of finding someone new who could take my mind off the enigma that was Gabe._

_But as luck would have it, I was destined to meet Gabe again, his familiar figure was slumped against the same bar, on the same stool, the same scent of alcohol, and mango, and pine filling my nostrils as I did my best to ignore his presence, searching for someone else to drink from, someone else to fuck, but it was pointless - I had eyes only for Gabe, everyone else was nothing more than white noise and ugly bodies filling the cramped room._

Each word Gerard consumed of William and Gabe's saga warmed his heart, the similarities between him and Frank's situation resonating stronger with each sentence, even though William had fought much harder than Gerard had against his unexplained affections, running away from Gabe numerous times before finally giving in and taking more of his blood, losing another portion of his heart in the process.

Their game of unwilling cat and confused mouse went on for years, with Gabe frequenting the pub he had first met William at every night in a pointless attempt at finding him again, even though the venom from William's bite had eradicated his memory, leaving only the longing for something he couldn't understand in its place.

Gabe's instincts forced him back to the place it had all began each evening without fail, and William always returned at some point, unaware that Gabe hadn't been able to get William out his head, his face haunting his dreams, only to fade away as soon as his eyes cracked open, oblivious to the fact that Gabe was just as fucked up as William was over this entire thing, until eventually, they both gave in, meeting up numerous times a week until William spent more time at Gabe's house than he did his own coven.

Contact with humans as anything less than food was still prohibited at the time of course, so William had to be careful, but Bert wasn't anywhere near as strict on where his vampires went and spent their free time back then since he had no knowledge that such an unholy union could ever exist, so William was able to avoid detection for the most part, until something like a year had passed without his dalliances with Gabe reaching anyone's attention.

That didn't mean that Gabe wasn't becoming suspicious of William's strange habits thought, and William found himself backed into a corner one day when Gabe demanded that William come for a walk outside with him, throwing a fit when William would give him no other answer besides a halfhearted _'I'm too tired'_.

_"You never want to be seen with me during the day...are you embarrassed of me - do you not love me?" Gabe had cried, tears dancing behind his half closed lids as he attempted to hang on to his previous anger, but I could see how much I was hurting him, and that was the last thing I wanted to do._

_I knew I had to correct his misconceptions somehow before he grew tired of my constant lies and left me, but to do that, I would have to tell Gabe the truth, and that was exactly what I did, despite the fact that in doing so, I risked losing Gabe forever._

_But I would rather spill my soul than have Gabe walk away because of my deception, so I told him what I was; I sat him down, dried the few tears that had escaped from his eyes, and let the entire story fill the quiet atmosphere, waiting for the laughter, or the hatred, or the disbelief I was certain Gabe would throw at me when the word vampire fell from my numb lips._

_But Gabe surprised me like he always did, and when my endless explanation finally drew to a close, Gabe didn't speak, he just kissed me instead, letting me know that it was okay with his touch, that he accepted me, and that he loved me too much to let our different species interfere with what we had._

_Gabe had questions of course, he was still a curious human, and I ended up showing him my fangs, piercing the skin of my wrist to demonstrate how the strong canines worked, avoiding biting him so he could remember this moment without any venom clogging his mind, but then Gabe did something that I could not have predicted; he leaned down, taking my wrist in one of his strong hands before licking the trail of crimson liquid, holding it on his tongue for a long moment before swallowing it down eagerly._

_And that was when my world changed, that was when Gabe finally understood what I felt for him, because somehow, my blood in his mouth completed our bond, a hidden yearning in Gabe had pushed him to drink from me, some instinct drawing him to my shed blood without any reasoning on his part as he later told me._

_His pupils dilated widely when he experienced my emotions for the first time, and even though Gabe swore on a later date that he had been connected to me in some way before he drank my blood, this was real - this was what I had always wanted with him. Gabe and I were now eternally connected, and despite everything still standing in the way of our love, I was happier than I had been since that first night I had spent in Gabe's arms._

Gerard almost dropped the book when he read the passage, his hands trembling so erratically that he had to pause for a moment, dragging large gulps of oxygen into his lungs to try and stabilize his racing heart, but it still took Gerard an embarrassingly long time to calm down.

But Gerard's minor moment of weakness had good reason, because this is what he had been searching for, this is what he craved to experience with Frank one day in the future, and now he _could_ \- Frank could mate with him, even though the exact semantics were still a mystery to Gerard, causing him to turn the page eagerly, needing to find out more about Gabe and William's situation so he would know exactly what to expect from his relationship with Frank in the future.

_I had no idea how much our mutual bonding would change things, but I made it my mission to find out, researching and asking everyone I could trust about the phenomenon, trying to decipher if Gabe and I were a freak occurrence, or if this was something that had been happening for years behind my back._

_After extensive prying, I eventually discovered others who shared my experience, but they were mostly hidden away, avoiding their one time kin to protect their human lovers from their wrath. I did learn quite a bit from them though, including that once a human had ingested vampire blood, they ceased to age for a time, and they healed in a fashion similar to us when the blood was fresh in their veins. If they continued to partake of the substance, they could live for hundreds of years if they weren't killed first, and I made a mental note to make sure that Gabe drank from me again in the near future._

_I also came to find out when this bonding with humans began to occur from my newfound friends who had also mated with humans - their names will remain secret so no one will search them out and attempt to harm them or their human counterparts. It was after the purge that the first human/vampire relationship came to be, approximately five years after to be precise, even though I am not one hundred percent convinced that there are not more unrecorded cases that I have yet to discover._

_I am no scientist, but I believe that our ability to mate with humans suddenly sprang to life when such a large portion of our population was destroyed as a sort of coping method, as if nature was doing its best to save the race of vampires by providing them with a new pool of viable mates with which to produce children, because I learned from some of the male/female couples that offspring were possible between the two, and they seemed vampire-like; they drank blood at least, but all the ones I met were too young to determine if they shared our long lifespan._

Gerard sighed in relief once he read Gabe's findings, because this explained why Gerard had never heard of the ability to mate with a human; he had been separated from all others of his kind after the purge - excluding Mikey and Ray of course, but this oddity came about after the horrendous event, leaving Gerard in the dark about the fact that his relationship with Frank wasn't quite as unique as he had first thought.

Gerard made a mental note to profusely thank Brendon when he saw him next, because it was obvious from William's words, not to mention Brendon's secretive nature that Bert did not want any of this to become common knowledge, and if it hadn't been for Brendon, Gerard would have been left struggling and confused over his bond with Frank, and he would never have been aware that Frank could live past a typical human amount of years, or that Frank possessed the ability to mate with him as well, which had been the two main factors that had terrified Gerard when he first discovered how much Frank meant to him.

_My findings filled me with an indescribable amount of joy, so much so that I became careless, wanting to spend even more time with Gabe now that I knew we were truly compatible, which I soon paid for, but for a few short weeks, Gabe and I lived in relative bliss, rediscovering everything all over again now that Gabe and I both shared the strong bond which conveyed our emotions with each other._

Gerard skipped over many of the next chapters, not wanting to linger on how William and Gabe's relationship was found out by his friend Travis when his numerous disappearances finally began to cause him some worry. Gerard hated watching everything fall apart, his heart clenching as William ran away from his home, his family, everything he ever knew in an attempt to save Gabe from the horde of angry vampires that were determined to kill him for corrupting one of their own.

They escaped though - _thank fuck_ for that, and even if William was never able to return to his coven, he did find a safe haven among the other vampires who had mated with humans, the location he had settled at remaining left out of the book for obvious reasons, but William insisted that his seclusion from his old coven hardly stung at all, not when he and Gabe were finally free to love each other without fear or judgement, and in the end, William was happy, which was all Gerard had ever wanted for himself.

_I don't know you, and I have no idea if you are a vampire like me, or a human who has stumbled across one of the copies of this book that I'm sure have been thrown out of most of the covens I managed to distribute them too, if they weren't burned first, but either way, I hope my story - our story, meant something to you, I hope it changed your way of thinking, and most of all, I hope that one day, humans and vampires can live side by side in peace, and that we can be free to love without fear of death pursuing us everywhere we go._

Closing the book slowly, Gerard tucked it under his bed, his mind once again buzzing with the large amount of information the short novel had provided him with, but one thing shone out bright and clear - Gerard was meant to be with Frank, Frank was his _mate_ , and if Frank could accept Gerard for what he was, then they might just have a chance to live together in the way that Gabe and William had, and Gerard wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps with Frank by his side.


	21. Shit Is Starting To Go Down Now

Pete slowly cracked his eyes open, his vision blurry and clouded, nothing immediately coming into focus as he shook his head minutely, as if the action would shake away the last dregs of sleep that were trying to drag him back down into unconsciousness.

Pete wanted to get up, he _really_ did, but he just felt so fucking drained, every muscle in his body ached, his head throbbed, his mouth was dry and cotton filled, so maybe a few more hours of sleep would actually do him some good.

But just then, Pete glanced at the clock that had been hanging on his wall, only to realize that it wasn't there anymore, which was odd, because unless he was becoming a sleepwalker that rearranged random items, it should have been in its usual place, and the desire to find out the fate of his timepiece had Pete standing up with a quiet grunt, his temples spiking with pain at the sudden movement.

"Fuck..." Pete groaned under his breath, his palms pressing against the source of his agony in the hopes of somehow eradicating it.

After a few minute, Pete felt up for walking - he _hoped_ , but either way, he needed to get to the kitchen for some water before his tongue eroded away in his mouth completely, his missing clock all but forgotten about next to his body's numerous demands for sustenance, and maybe some painkillers as well.

But of course, there was another surprise waiting for Pete in his kitchen in the form of his windows, or lack thereof; the panes were gone, shattered maybe, but if that had been the case, where was the excess glass that would have followed such a violent event?

Pete had no idea what had happened to make his home look like a war zone, and every time he tried to ponder what the fuck had gone on here, he came up blank, an imposing wall blocking his memories of everything that had occurred after he parted ways with Brendon and Ryan yesterday morning, or maybe longer now, Pete wasn't really sure anymore.

The logical side of Pete knew that he should be more worried about this, that he should be panicking, maybe even having a meltdown over the fact that everything containing glass in his house was missing or damaged, further evidence showing itself in his dishes, the only ones still left out on the counter were plastic of course, but honestly - Pete was too exhausted to give a fuck, and he sort of just wanted to curl up in bed again as soon as he got a drink.

But as Pete gulped down some cool water he had retrieved from the sink, his mind began to come alive once again, and even though he was still left in the dark over what exactly had transpired, a part of him knew the root of it, the buried, undiscovered corner of Pete that he wasn't ready to admit existed, even to himself, was waking up.

And although Pete's first instinct was to go seek out Brendon, because Brendon was smart, and Brendon would know what had occurred here, or at the very least, he would help Pete figure it out, when Pete slipped on his shoes and headed out his front door, his feet seemed to grow a mind of their own, his toes pointing away from his best friend's house in favor of a rarely traveled direction instead.

Pete was screaming at himself to turn around, the silent voice in his head shouting for his body to stop, to go somewhere else, _anywhere_ else, but Pete wasn't in control of himself anymore - not really, and he had no choice but to allow his instincts to lead him onward, until finally, he came to a halt in front of an ordinary looking house that was anything but.

"Hey Pete...you okay?" a voice called out, startling Pete so much he jumped slightly in surprise.

"Oh...hey Jepha, I didn't see you there." Pete tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace instead as he greeted the older vampire.

"What are you doing up so early?" Jepha asked, his eyes studying Pete with an intensity that had Pete shifting back and forth uncomfortably.

"Early? Uh - I don't, I...can I see her?" Pete stammered out, the words escaping his mouth without his consent, because he didn't want to see her - not when she was like this, not now, maybe not ever again, but at the same time, it was almost as if he had to.

"Of course Pete, she is your mother. Do you want me to come with you...or maybe you should go get Brendon?" Jepha asked, because he of all people knew how volatile Pete's mother could be. Bert had charged him with keeping her safely contained and away from the rest of the coven, and he had seen Pete's mother at her worst, not that her best was all that good either.

"No...I need to do this alone."

"Okay...just yell if you need me." Jepha clapped Pete gently on the back, almost knocking the smaller vampire down with the unexpected gesture, but Pete simply laughed it off, avoiding Jepha's gaze as he darted inside quickly.

Pete's eyes squinted automatically as he attempted to adjust to the heavy gloom that always hung over the interior of his mother's abode, the dark drapes which obscured every surface only heightening the oppressive atmosphere, causing Pete to idly wonder if his mother was aware that they no longer lived above ground, rendering her attempts to keep out the sunlight useless, or if she simply enjoyed having her walls cocooned in the dense fabric.

A smattering of baubles and trinkets were tossed around almost haphazardly, but Pete knew from experience that if he were to touch - or even worse, _move_ one of the objects, his mother would be furious, so he did his best to avoid knocking into anything as he forced his unwilling body to take a step further inside.

"Hello sweetie," a familiar, velvety voice greeted Pete as soon as the wooden door was closed behind him, releasing a shiver of distaste to crawl its way across Pete's skin.

"Hey Mom," Pete sighed out, keeping his eyes firmly glued to the floor as he spoke so he wouldn't have to look at his mother's figure, at the aged flesh and frail bones that no healthy vampire should be sporting.

"I've missed you - it seems like it has been ages since you last visited me."

"I know...I'm sorry, I've just been busy," Pete sighed softly, knowing that his mother wouldn't be fooled by his lie, but much to his surprise, she didn't pursue the matter any further.

"But not today, _no_ \- something has changed with you, something is different...what's wrong my son?"

"I - uh," Pete stuttered awkwardly, because really - he didn't know where to start; he wasn't even sure what exactly had happened, or why he was here seeking his insane mother's advice, but he was, so he had to try and explain somehow. "I was sleeping, and when I woke up, everything glass in my house was ruined, and I don't know why...and I feel weird, sick - or exhausted, _something_ like that, and I - I'm scared," Pete ended on a whimper, flinching slightly when his mother's spindly hand came to rest on his shaking shoulder, finally drawing his gaze upward so he could get a good glimpse of the woman he did his best to avoid at all costs.

She didn't look any different from the last time he had seen her - in fact, this must be one of her better days, because her wiry hair had actually been styled, the long tresses pulled into a sloppy bun which she had adorned with a jeweled barrette. The wrinkles pulling at her face still made Pete cringe internally - they were just so _unnatural_ , but besides that, she seemed more alive than usual, and the slack jawed expression that graced her features more often than not had been eradicated, leaving a look of exuberance in its place instead.

"Oh my child, I knew this day would come, you carry my blood after all, and it was only a matter of time before you powers began to show themselves."

" _Powers_ \- what powers? No - I mean...I'm not like you, I can't do anything special, I don't want that," Pete cried as he edged away from his mother quickly, trying to physically escape his mother's words, even though it was already too late for that, the meaning behind them had sunk into his brain, bringing Pete's worst fears into the light no matter how hard he tried to drag them back down into the depths of his mind where they had lain dormant for so long.

"Shh, don't fret, it will be all right. I will help you, but first, I need to understand what caused this. Have you been through a traumatic event lately, have you been afraid for your life, or maybe the opposite, has something wonderful occurred?" his mother pried, her dull eyes gleaming with excitement as she stepped closer to Pete, and even though Pete wanted to deny her theory, because he couldn't have powers, he just _couldn't_ , the usual air of madness that followed his mother around like a low hanging cloud seemed absent for the time being, so Pete found himself listening intently despite himself.

"No...I don't think so - I mean, I did find my mate, _sort of_ , but -"

"Oh Pete, why didn't you say something sooner? Who is it, do I know them? You have to let me meet them soon, oh god - I'm so happy for you," Pete's mother exclaimed, a cheshire grin stretching across her face as she smothered Pete in an unexpected embrace.

"No mom, you don't understand...it's not like that okay, he already has a mate, so he won't want me," Pete choked out, his eyes welling up as a blurry image of Mikey's face rose to the forefront of his mind, Ray's stern figure lurking in the background, his countenance mocking, even in Pete's head, his eyes dancing with delight as if he was enjoying Pete's pain caused by his inability to have what he shared with Mikey.

"No - that can't be right, my son has found love, that is something I have always desired for you." Pete's mother began wringing her hands together desperately, releasing Pete from the surprisingly strong grip she had encased his body in, much to his relief. "Don't worry, we can fix this - _no_ , you can fix it...yes, you have power now, the power to change the world, I can feel it, and your mate will know it too, he just has to be given the opportunity to see it."

Pete silently cursed himself for mention Mikey to his mother, because he was well aware that she was obsessed with the idea of him finding his mate, she had never discovered her other half, and she had mentioned numerous times that her loss could not be repeated in her son, but it had just slipped out, and now Pete was left to deal with the consequences of his waggling tongue.

"Stop saying that - I don't have powers, _I don't_...okay...please tell me I don't?" Pete pleaded, tears filling his eyes as he tried his best to believe his own statement, but it made sense, it explained the oddities he had found upon awaking this morning, but that didn't make Pete feel any better - actually, it just made everything one thousand times worse.

"You do love, I can sense them here with us, and I will guide you through this, you just have to trust me."

"But you - you see the future, or you did, and I can't - I just broke things, that means we are different right, and maybe I won't..." Pete trailed off when his mother scoffed harshly, his unfinished sentence hanging heavily in the musky air.

And despite his argument, Pete knew he was grasping at straws here, and even though his mother was wrong about many things, this wasn't one of them. Constantly denying the truth wasn't going to help Pete in the long run, even though he feared that if he accepted the fact that he did indeed have powers, that would automatically seal Pete's fate, his future standing in front of him in the form of his broken mother.

Pete had been dreading this moment ever since his mother's sanity had shattered, and even though he knew it had been a possibility, and he was aware that these strange abilities were inherited genetically, he had hoped, he had fucking _prayed_ that he would be spared, but apparently that wasn't the case, and now that Pete's darkest nightmare was occurring right before his very eyes, he found himself clinging to the one person that had previously repulsed him.

"I am not insane Pete, no matter what they say, I just...I'm tired, but you are right, you aren't like me, but that doesn't mean I can't share my knowledge with you, and I'll do better than that. I can show you how to use your newfound abilities to win over your mate...if you let me that is."

Pete knew he should have said no, that he should have left then, because no matter what his mother said, she wasn't right in the head - she was ill, so Pete would be a fool to trust her, but his desperate longing for comfort had Pete's feet rooted to the ground, his intense desire to be able to call Mikey his own causing his lips to move before Pete even realized what he was doing.

"I want your help."

"I knew you would," Pete's mother smiled a sickly parody of a grin that showcased her off-white teeth, the expression causing a pool of dread to form in Pete's stomach, but despite the uncomfortable sensation, he found himself sitting down in a nearby chair, waiting patiently for his mother to join him instead of fleeing back to his home like he should have done in the first place. It was too late for that now though, Pete was firmly ensnared in a web of his mother's making, only the thought of Mikey keeping him from struggling to escape the dangerous trap he had willingly walked into.

~~~

"I love you," Mikey stated randomly as he leaned into Ray's side affectionately, his eyes fluttering shut as Ray wrapped his arms around Mikey lazily.

"I love you too," Ray mumbled sleepily, his lips pressing against the side of Mikey's head as he tugged the both of them downward onto the bed, releasing a chuckle from Mikey's chest when he hit the mattress with a gentle thump.

"Can you believe this is happening?" Mikey asked once he had gotten himself into a more comfortable position, his thin limbs sprawled out across the soft sheets - _actual_ sheets, not the threadbare fabric they were sometimes lucky enough to find in the abandoned homes they squatted in.

"Not really, I'm still half convinced this is just an amazing dream I am going to wake up from any minute now," Ray chuckled quietly.

"I know what you mean, look at us - we are in a coven, Gerard is safe, he can get help now, and we have a home, a real place we can call our own, _fuck_ \- this is everything we have ever wanted."

"It is, I never thought we would make it this far if I'm being honest," Ray admitted, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke, and Mikey shared his sentiments, because despite his optimistic attitude, Mikey was a realist, and he had assumed they would perish in one way or another before they ever discovered a gathering of vampires that would actually accept them into their fold, but against all odds, they had survived.

"But we did, _fuck_ \- we did it." Mikey paused for a moment, mentally debating how Ray would react to what he was about to propose, but in the end, he decided to take the plunge, because the words he so desperately wanted to speak were burning at his throat, and only their release would alleviate the tightening sensation in his chest. "Ray...I want to mate with you - _properly_. We always said we would take that step when we were safe, and now we are, so I want to be connected to you in every way possible...please, I -"

"Yes," Ray cut Mikey off in the middle of his rambling, sitting up suddenly so he could look Mikey directly in the eye. "I want that too, we can ask Bert in the morning what sort of ceremonies they do now, we can probably have it all arranged by the end of the week I imagine if it is still similar to how they did it in my old coven, and -"

"I don't want to wait for that," Mikey interjected, his arms coming up to wrap around Ray's waist enticingly. "I mean - we can still have an official binding, but I want you now, I want to feel your emotions, to taste your blood... _please_?"

"Yeah, okay - _fuck_ \- I love you," Ray mumbled as Mikey tugged him downward for a needy kiss, their legs tangling together as Mikey poured all of his desperation into the pressure of his lips against his mate's.

"Are you sure?" Ray asked when Mikey pulled away from Ray's mouth, relocating to his neck before sucking down harshly on the unmarked skin that wouldn't stay that way for long.

"So sure..." Mikey murmured feverishly, his pupils dilating as he grazed his teeth against the pale column of Ray's throat, waiting for his approval before he drank his mate's blood, consequentially sealing them together for all eternity.

"Then do it," Ray begged, his head tilting to the side to give Mikey better access, and that was all the encouragement Mikey needed to sink his sharp canines into the delicate tissue separating him from the crimson liquid he so craved, the skin parting easily to allow a heady burst of flavor to flow over Mikey's tongue, and _fuck_ \- Ray tasted amazing, like lemon, and fresh air, and something else that Mikey could only associate with Ray, the essence had no name, but it was synonymous with his mate.

But the flavor of Ray's blood quickly became inconsequential next to the rush of sensations that suddenly sprung to life inside of Mikey's mind, the bond between mates finally being formed with this exchange of fluids, allowing Mikey to now physically feel Ray in a way that hadn't been possible before, and the overwhelming love that was thrumming throughout Ray's body actually brought Mikey to tears with its intensity.

"Oh my god..." Mikey whimpered as he pulled away, his hand swiping against his eyes quickly in an attempt to hide his embarrassing reaction, because Mikey never cried, or at least, he didn't let people see him cry, but Ray noticed - _of course_ he did, but instead of commenting on it, he simply encircled Mikey in a comforting embrace, allowing his mate to sniffle softly against his bare chest without a single word being spoken by either of them.

"What is it like?" Ray asked after a long moment of silence had passed, his hand threading its way through Mikey's hair in a soothing manner that always managed to calm Mikey immensely.

"Amazing...just, _fuck_ \- I can't explain it, you have to experience it for yourself," Mikey chuckled hoarsely, exposing his own neck in invitation to his mate.

"Are you ready?" Ray asked nervously, his fingers shaking against Mikey's scalp as he lowered his mouth down slowly.

"I've been waiting for this since the day I met you," Mikey answered truthfully, using his palm to press Ray's lips into the crook of his shoulder gently.

And when Ray bit down softly, Mikey actually screamed out in pleasure, because not only did Ray's bite feel incredible, but he was also exposed to Ray's emotions as his own bond came into being, and he was there with Ray as the joyous event occurred, he shared his surprise, his awe, his adoration, _everything_.

Ray pulled away slowly, a look of wonder passing over his face as his gaze locked with Mikey's, and that simply moment meant so much more now that they shared each other's thoughts and feelings, the intensity of it actually caused Mikey's heart to stutter in his chest as Ray rubbed a thumb over Mikey's cheek, the minute pressure inflicting Mikey with a barrage of butterflies that had never gone away, but now they had multiplied, they were literally thrumming under Mikey's skin, threatening to tear him apart with their jubilant movements.

And as Ray kissed Mikey again, allowing the intermingled flavor of both of their blood to imbue Mikey's taste buds, Mikey surrendered to the bundle of nerves in his head, letting them take precedence over everything else, his love for Ray swelling with each passing moment, their newly formed bond melding their lives together in an unbreakable pact that only death could destroy.

~~~

Gerard awoke suddenly, his heart beating erratically as he tried to separate the waking world from the unconscious one, sweat dampening his hair as he pushed it out of his face irritably, the images in his head fading away slowly as his gaze darted around rapidly, the realization of where he was calming the frantic sense of panic that always followed after he opened his eyes, the fact that he didn't have to worry about the sun, or hunters, or moving on before anyone discovered his location finally sinking in when he recognized the homey room he had been introduced to just last night.

Gerard chuckled softly under his breath, because despite the terrible pictures still flickering across his mind, his efforts at erasing them failing miserably, just like always, being in a coven, with his brother and best friend in the next room was a blessing, albeit one that Gerard would have to get used to.

And not only that, but it lessened the choking sensation that always followed one of Gerard's nightmares, the security brought on by having a safe haven instantly ceasing the tremors in Gerard's limbs, and even though he didn't think he would be able to fall back asleep any time soon, Gerard found himself reclining against the soft pillows once again, his eyes fluttering shut as he attempted to understand his most recent vision.

For once, the dream that had stolen Gerard's peaceful slumber from him wasn't the same sequence of events that had haunted him for years - _no_ , this evening had held a different nightmare, but it was still just as jarring, even though Gerard felt no urge to empty his stomach contents, which was a pleasant relief, although his head was throbbing, but that might be an unrelated symptom.

Still, his heart ached, because the images his mind had produced had injected him with a jolt of reality, one that he had been ignorant of, his joy over discovering that he and Frank could potentially be together if everything went according to plan obscuring everything else, but Gerard had forgotten some very important elements along the way - Mikey and Ray.

Gerard had been with Frank in the dream, and Frank knew who he was - _what_ he was, but he didn't care, he still loved Gerard, and he wanted nothing more than to run away with him, somewhere that no one could ever hurt them. They had been intending to search out William and the other vampires who shared the same bond that Gerard and Frank had once Gerard had shown him the book that had provided him with so many answers.

But Gerard had been torn in two, because even though Frank owned the majority of Gerard's heart, Mikey and Ray claimed a piece of it as well, and they hadn't understood his and Frank's love, they hadn't supported it, and worst of all, they made Gerard choose between them or Frank, and Gerard _couldn't_ \- it was too hard, he needed all of them in his life, he would be a shell of a person otherwise.

Gerard hadn't been able to make a decision, and while he was inactive, his body paralyzed by his thoughts, a strange vampire had taken Frank from under Gerard's nose, he had strung him up on a post in the center of the coven and burned him to death, making Gerard watch Frank scream in agony before repeating the process on him, using them as an example of what would happen to anyone that mated with a human, regardless of the fact that the process was involuntary, and Gerard had no control over who he had fallen in love with, but even if he did, he would still want Frank, he would still die for Frank, but he couldn't bear watching Frank suffer, especially not when it was his fault.

And _fuck_ \- even though it had just been a dream, Gerard found himself crying, silent tears making tracks down his sunken cheeks as he huddled inward on himself, because this vision very well could be the future if he wasn't careful, and even though Brendon had easily accepted his and Frank's relationship, Gerard had been too caught up in the flurry of finding a coven to pull Mikey and Ray aside and ask what their views on it were, or if they even knew; Brendon had probably told them, but he had made sure not to mention it while they were within earshot, so maybe they were still in the dark over the entire situation.

Gerard had to tell them, there was no way he could keep something this important obscured from them for long, but he was terrified of their reaction; Mikey and Ray hated humans - _fuck_ , Gerard had too until he had met Frank, and even though they would most likely learn to live with the fact that Gerard had mated with a human, that didn't mean they would be happy about it, _hell_ \- they might not accept it at all if it risked their place in the coven.

And even if they kept his secret, even if Gerard protected Frank, even if they successfully found a place where no one would judge them, it was a very real possibility that he might lose his brother and his best friend in the process, and Gerard honestly didn't know if that was something that he could live with, but he would be forced to find out eventually.

That thought had Gerard's tears intensifying, his eyes burning as he whimpered softly under his breath, wishing that Mikey was here to comfort him, but even his brother's presence wouldn't make Gerard's predicament any easier, not with this, and for once, Mikey didn't seem to sense Gerard's distress, so he was left alone with nothing but his sorrow and his ever present longing for Frank as company.


	22. Sometimes Answers Only Create More Questions

Lindsey shifted her feet irritably, physically gritting her teeth together to stop herself from interrupting Bert as he introduced yet another new vampire to the coven, another orphan, another lost child who now had a home, but his safe arrival only had Lindsey wondering how many more of their kind were still out there. It was most likely in the hundreds, if that many vampires had managed to survive on their own for so long, and _fuck_ \- despite the happiness Lindsey felt over the finding of three of her lost brethren, her heart ached at the thought of the ones they had yet to discover.

It didn't help that this one looked much worse for wear than the other two that had preceded him; he seemed to be on death's door actually, even though he swore he was okay, just _tired_ , but his rail thin frame and weary eyes spoke a different story, his weakened countenance causing Lindsey to squeeze her eyes shut so she would stop pondering over how terrible his suffering had been, even though it was over now, _hopefully_.

Lindsey felt so useless standing there, nodding along to everything Bert said even though she didn't agree with half of it, because she should be out there helping people like Gerard, she could be guiding them to a safe haven right now, but _no_ \- she was stuck here, all because of Bert's foolish rules and her own dismal failings.

A sudden rush of survivors guilt bubbled to life inside of Lindsey's chest, her breath catching in her throat as she did her best not to project her distress to the newcomers, but Lindsey's brain was far away from the proceedings happening in front of her, instead, her heart was in the expansive wilderness surrounding them, her mind drifting into the past, and what she could have done differently, and what they should be changing now.

Lindsey had fucked up with her own coven, she knew that, the hunters attack was bitter proof of her misdeeds, but Lindsey had learned from those mistakes, and she wanted to try again, she ached to be free from Bert's old fashion ideals so she could actually make a difference in the world instead of rotting away underground.

Lindsey wanted to atone for all the deaths that had been caused by her negligence by saving those of her kind who had no idea that covens still existed, the desire had flared into existence recently, and although she had taken small steps toward her goal, she hadn't made much progress.

There was a large obstacle standing in Lindsey's way in the form of Bert, because he would never allow Lindsey to wander free looking for refugees, _hell_ \- he didn't even like it when she went into town alone, and his constant pandering to the despicable humans who had almost eradicated them had Lindsey silently seething, because even though his methods had worked in keeping them secreted away, it was the plan of a coward, and Lindsey's initial gratitude toward him was ebbing thinner by the day.

Lindsey did understand why Bert held so firmly to his carefully constructed rules, because despite the humiliation they brought with them, they did _work_ , and the humans remained clueless about the nest of vampires located right outside of their city, but that wasn't the way it should be, the humans should be cowering in fear because of them, not the other way around.

But Bert didn't see things that way, he metaphorically bowed down to the humans, avoiding their large gatherings, hunting far from the nearby town in the hopes of drawing attention away from their true home, consequentially trapping them in the coven during all hours when they should be out ruling the night like they used to in the past, and _fuck_ \- Lindsey wanted that life back, but it was never going to happen if someone didn't take the first step down the road which would lead to the revival of the vampires.

It wouldn't be easy of course, Lindsey wasn't _stupid_ , and she knew the humans far outnumbered them by this point, but now the vampires had the element of surprise on their side, _hell_ \- two-thirds of the population believed they were fictional creatures that didn't exist outside of the silver screen, only the hunters knew of them, but a few carefully orchestrated strikes against their main bases would even the odds in their favor, so it was _possible_ , if only Bert would understand that.

Lindsey had tried to argue her point with the coven leader, redoubling her efforts lately now that she had a worthy cause to devote herself to, but Bert continued to turn a blind eye to the glaringly obvious problems with his supposed utopia, even though Lindsey wasn't the only one becoming frustrated with their living conditions, she was just the most vocal.

Lindsey knew for a fact that many of the younger vampires were growing restless under Bert's strict rule, especially members of her old coven that still remembered what it was like to exist above ground; just last week she had caught Brendon and Ryan sneaking out through the back gate, but she had pretended not to see it, letting them go for the time being because she understood their need to escape, and as long as they came back in a timely fashion, which they did, Lindsey would keep their secret from Bert.

Bert wasn't going to change his mind though, of that Lindsey was certain, which left her with no other option but to take matters into her own hands, which she was more than willing to do, as she had already proven over the past few weeks, she just had to make sure that her next step was the correct one.

"Lindsey - are you listening to me?" Bert's calm voice cut through Lindsey's internal musings, snapping her back into reality once more, and unfortunately for her, she hadn't heard anything that Bert had said, a soft blush staining her cheeks as she turned to face the coven leader slowly.

"Uh - no, can you repeat that?"

"I was just telling Gerard that you could escort him to Quinn's house, he has strange dreams, and I believe he would be able to help him decipher the cause of them," Bert repeated patiently, even though Lindsey could read from his body language that he was less than pleased by her rudeness.

"Oh yes, of course," Lindsey nodded quickly, eager to escape the prying eyes of Bert, even if it was only to act as a tour guide for the new vampire, but Lindsey would gladly take the task if it got her out of here that much quicker. "Follow me," Linsey gestured to the dark haired vampire before striding outside quickly, the tightness in her chest dissipating slightly as she left Bert's stern figure behind her.

And as Lindsey began leading the way to Quinn's house, her mind was spinning at a thousand miles a minute, the foundations of a plan starting to form together as she contemplated how to return the vampires to their former status, even though she had already been taking small steps toward that goal for quite some time, but this would be different, this would be bigger, _monumental_ even, and soon the whole world would know that the race of vampires still existed, and they would tremble before them as they should have been doing for the past two hundred years.

~~~

"Pete! There you are, _fuck_ \- we were worried about you," Brendon's familiar voice shattered Pete's solitude, much to his irritation, but he had known that his friends would seek him out sooner or later, Pete had just hoped it would be the former one, which is why he had chosen to hide out in the infrequently visited gardens instead of his own home, but it seemed that Brendon and Ryan and found him already, forcing Pete to explain to his friends why he had disappeared for the past few hours.

"Yeah...I'm here - sorry, I just wanted to be alone for a little while," Pete sighed, twirling a large daisy in between his thumb and forefinger idly as Brendon sat down beside him, Ryan hanging back as if he was considering actually taking Pete's words to heart and leaving him be like he desired.

"Are you okay? Ryan told me what happened at your house with the glass...did - did you do that Pete?" Brendon continued to pry, and as much as Pete wanted to beg his friend not to delve into this, he couldn't do that, because Brendon deserved to know, and maybe sharing his knowledge of his newfound powers would ease his burden slightly.

"Um...I guess so, even though I don't remember it, but I can't think of any other explanation," Pete answered, the words he truly meant to say sticking in his throat stubbornly, no matter how hard he tried to dislodge them.

"Have you been out here all night? We came by to check on you this evening, but you were gone," Ryan finally spoke up, crossing to Pete's left side before gingerly resting on the rock wall Pete was perched on.

"I - I went to see my mother."

"Oh..." Brendon exclaimed, his mouth falling open in shock at Pete's admission, because he knew how much Pete detested visiting her - _hell_ , Pete usually begged Brendon to join him in the task when the guilt caused by his ignorance of her became too overwhelming for him to handle. "Can I ask why?" Brendon prodded gently, one of his hands coming to rest on Pete's knee in a comforting gesture.

"I needed answers, and for some reason, I ended up there, I don't even know why, but she told me things Bren...things about me, and I don't - _fuck_ , I'm scared," Pete whimpered quietly, tears welling up in his eyes despite his best efforts at subduing them.

"Don't cry Pete, you know better than to listen to her, she is crazy, so just ignore whatever she said - _okay_?" Brendon scoffed, his eyes narrowing when Pete shook his head furiously in denial.

"I - I can't this time, because I think she's right, she...she told me that I have powers, that I broke that glass with my mind, and I didn't want to believe her, but then it happened again, she made me angry, and I like - blacked out for one second, and the next thing I knew, her windows were shattered too."

"But...but you have never shown any signs of this before, maybe she did it and blamed it on you, that sounds like something she would do," Ryan argued, even though Pete could tell by the expression on his face that Ryan wasn't one hundred percent convinced by his own evaluation of the situation.

"She explained that too, apparently this type of escalation is normal, most vampires don't discover their true powers until they reach one hundred years old or so, and I am just shy of that age," Pete exhaled heavily, the palms of his hands pressing against his eyes wearily as he continued speaking, "and you guys didn't see her, she seemed so lucid today, she was more like herself than she has been in years, so no matter how much I wish she was wrong, I don't think she is, not about this."

"Fuck -" Brendon mumbled under his breath, the curse seeming to slip out before he could stop himself. "Hey - it's gonna be okay, we are here for you, and you won't end up like her, I promise," Brendon whispered, allowing Pete to lean into his side heavily as he continued to fight against the tears that so desperately wanted to escape from his closed eyelids.

"I hope so," Pete mumbled, but even though he depended on Brendon for so much, he knew this was one thing that his friend couldn't fix, that he couldn't erase with kind words and good intentions, because Brendon didn't even know the half of it, and it was going to stay that way.

~~~

Gerard worried his bottom lip in between his teeth as the dark haired woman he had followed once he left Bert's abode knocked on the door to a plain looking house that matched the ones nearby, his nerves caused by the sudden proceedings that he had been unwillingly thrown into, along with the revelations his dream from last night had brought leaving him shaking and frightened about meeting someone new, even if they could supposedly help him.

This wasn't how Gerard thought his evening would pan out, he had been planning on telling Mikey and Ray about Frank the very second they awoke, his brain's reproductions of what their possible reactions could be had continued to haunt him for the rest of the evening, but a young vampire had knocked on his door sometime during his worrying, telling him that the coven leader had requested his presence as soon as he was able. Mikey and Ray had still been ensconced in bed, and judging from the sounds Gerard had heard coming from their room earlier that morning, Gerard didn't think they would be getting up for quite some time.

So his confession would have to wait, apparently for longer than Gerard had originally been intending, because once he had mentioned his dreams to Bert, he had insisted that he visited someone named Quinn, who apparently had powers similar to his in the hopes of finding a solution to his debilitating symptoms, as well as to determine if his odd reaction to the visions was life threatening or not.

The door was tugged open just then, revealing a short boy with dark hair cropped shaggily around his neck, a pair of black sunglasses obscuring his eyes from view, leaving Gerard puzzled as to their presence, because it was impossible for any sun to reach them this far unground, and even someone with the most sensitive eyesight should be able to handle the gloomy light that permeated the coven.

"Hello Quinn, I hope we didn't disturb you," the woman that Gerard was almost one hundred percent certain was named Lindsey greeted the slight vampire, a smile crossing her face as Quinn tilted his chin upward slightly.

"Lindsey," Quinn responded with a quick nod, his head shifting to the side curiously in the direction of where Gerard was standing. "Who did you bring with you?"

"This is Gerard, he is new to the coven, and we believe he has powers akin to yours, so if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind speaking with him for a bit?"

"Um...I guess that would be fine," Quinn gave in reluctantly, leaving Gerard feeling like an unwanted guest that Quinn was being forced to entertain. "Just sit anywhere," Quinn gestured vaguely once Gerard made his way inside, his body angling backward so he could seek out Lindsey in the hopes of having a semi-familiar face at his side as he entered the stranger's home, only to see her heading back the way they had come without even saying goodbye.

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you," Gerard managed to find his voice once he was ensconced on a musty smelling sofa with Quinn situated directly in front of him.

"It's all right, _really_ \- it is, I'm just not used to having company anymore, but maybe this will be a pleasant change," Quinn assured him, his face softening slightly as he peered in a direction somewhere over Gerard's head. "So...did they tell you about me, or do you have some questions you would like to get out of the way before we talk about you?"

"They - they didn't say much, just that you might be able to help me, so uh...if it's not too intrusive, can I ask about the sunglasses?" Gerard stammered out awkwardly, a blush staining his cheeks as Quinn chuckled under his breath.

"I am blind - _well_ , mostly at least, my particular skill set saps my vision without my consent. Every time I lock eyes with another person, they are shown an image of their future, while I am left with nothing but a blinding headache and a decrease in eyesight. The sunglasses are a necessary precaution to protect what little sight I have managed to retain, which isn't much mind you," Quinn sighed under his breath, a look of sorrow twisting his features before his expression morphed back into the blank one he had carried earlier.

"Oh god - that's _awful_ , I'm so sorry," Gerard gasped, his hands flying up to cover his mouth as he tried to picture what that must be like, Quinn's experience rendering his own periods of sickness inconsequential in comparison.

"Don't apologize, it is something I have learned to live with. All powers come with a price now, unlike in the past, and if you have some of your own, you are paying as well, even if it isn't in the same way."

"What do you mean?" Gerard asked warily, because he really knew next to nothing about his abilities, much less anyone else's, but he was eager to learn.

"I have studied this subject extensively, my research has slowed down now that I can't read as easily, but I have discovered that something has changed in the vampiric makeup over the past two hundred years or so, maybe even a bit earlier. It is hard to pinpoint the exact time since so much was lost during the purge, but I do know that older vampires who possessed mystical powers seemed to suffer no ill side effects, which isn't the case anymore." Quinn paused suddenly, his features going lax as if he was lost in his own head momentarily.

"Why is that?" Gerard dared to ask when Quinn's silence stretched on for over a minute.

"I'm honestly not sure," Quinn mumbled quietly, shaking his head roughly before he continued speaking, "but as I was saying, things have changed, and now every vampire I have documented that has some sort of power always seems to experience an uncomfortable sensation following the use of it. They vary in range and extremity, mine being one of the most harmful that I have found, not the worst though, but enough about me, I need to hear more about what you are going through if I am going to be of assistance."

"Um - _okay_ , well I keep having this dream, but it is more than that, I know it is. They started a few years ago, I honestly can't remember exactly when, but it doesn't really matter I guess. At first, I assumed they were just normal nightmares, but the events never change, even though I began to see more as time passed until it became a full five minute sequence, and now I always see the entire scenario, no matter what."

"What happens in your dream?" Quinn prompted curiously, his attention now fully focused on Gerard, causing him to close his eyes as he replayed the scene that had become more real to him than many of the experiences he had actually lived through.

"I am in a building, and it is on fire, but no matter how hard I try to escape, I _can't_ , and there is someone else there with me," Gerard swallowed heavily at his omission regarding the fact that the person was a human, but he had to leave Frank out of his explanation to prevent Quinn from asking questions that he wouldn't be able to answer. "He is trapped, his leg is broken, and I have to get him out, but I fail every time, and it always ends with us burning to death together - _fuck_ , I can feel the flames on my skin for hours after it is over, and I always wake up feeling weak and nauseous. I can't even close my eyes, because I will only see it all over again, and lately it has gotten worse. I have started seeing fire even when my eyes are open, and I can't separate the dream from reality - I even passed out the other day because I thought the forest was burning down around me."

"And do you know this person that you keep seeing?" Quinn asked when Gerard finally fell silent, his covered eyes seeming to bore a hole into Gerard's head as he stared at him intently.

"Yes, I do - now at least," Gerard answered succinctly, because for some reason, he was reluctant to lie to this vampire, but he wasn't going to reveal any more information about Frank, his lips pressing together firmly to prevent his tongue from wagging as Quinn steepled his fingers lazily.

"And did the dreams increase in frequency the closer you came to him, but once you were in the nearby vicinity, they stopped completely?" Quinn continued to pry, thankfully moving on from the topic of Frank without asking anything else about him.

"They did," Gerard admited. He had noticed before that his hallucinations had gotten progressively worse the closer he came to Belleville, but once he was properly inside the city limits, they had vanished, only returning during the one morning when he had slept outside in the surrounding wilderness, and he was certain that Frank was behind all of it.

"Hmm..." Quinn hummed thoughtfully, "well, I can't say for sure until I witness one of your episodes for myself, but it is my belief that what you are seeing is a vision of the future, a warning of what could come to pass, and even though nothing is concrete, this possibility is very likely to occur, and from the sounds of it, unless something is changed, this could easily end in your death, but worrying about what may or may not happen is pointless, and I am more concerned with the fact that your power seems to be linked directly to your energy - your _life force_ , for lack of a better word, which could end up killing you long before the fire."

"How can I stop that from happening?" Gerard choked out, his voice emitting in a weak tone despite his best attempt at presenting a brave face.

"You stay as close as you can to this person for one thing, because as long as he is around, you shouldn't be in danger of losing any more strength to your vision, but as for the situation where you both burn, I cannot help you there, and like I said before, my diagnosis may not even be correct, but I would like you to come back to me if any similar dreams appears to you again."

"Okay - I will, thank you for all of your help," Gerard murmured brokenly, his mind too occupied with the influx of information that Quinn had presented him with to ask any of the million questions that Gerard still had, but that could come later once he had taken the time to collect his thoughts.

Gerard briefly considered mentioning the dream from last night, but that hadn't been the same, and despite the similarities involving fire, and Frank, Gerard wasn't convinced that it was a true vision, it had simply been his fears manifesting inside of his head, and he had already wasted enough of Quinn's time as it was, so Gerard kept his mouth closed for now, deciding to bring it up at a later date if he experienced the same scenario in a second nightmare.

"Don't thank me, I know I have only made you even more afraid, but trust me on this, the future is never set in stone, not in the way we think, and if you fight this, there might be a way to escape your fate, so don't give up just yet," Quinn smiled sadly, and Gerard honestly couldn't tell if he was just lying to make Gerard feel better, or if he truly believed that Gerard might have a chance at survival despite his grim prognosis.

"I will try to keep that in mind," Gerard sighed as he followed Quinn to the door, taking his hint and vacating the house after sending Quinn a quick wave that he wasn't entirely certain if Quinn could see or not.

And as Gerard tried to make his way back to the house he shared with Mikey and Ray without a guide, which was very difficult since all of the buildings looked identical, he found himself sniffling softly, hot tears stinging the corners of his eyes as he tried to think of a way out of this mess, but it seemed he was fucked, no matter what he did.

If he ran from Frank to protect him, he would end up dying because of the vision, but if he stayed close to Frank like Quinn had suggested, they most likely would perish in a blazing inferno that Gerard still didn't know the cause of, leaving Gerard with a conundrum that appeared to have no solution.

Because as much as Gerard yearned to protect Frank from such a grizzly death, he didn't want to die yet either, not when he had only just found his mate, and a home, not to mention that Mikey and Ray wouldn't lay down and let him run away to become a sacrifice, they wouldn't accept that option, so Gerard would have to find another way to save Frank, but no matter how hard he wracked his brain, he kept coming up blank.

And even though Quinn had been convinced that he could change the future, Gerard didn't really see how. He didn't know when the fire would occur, even though it couldn't be that far away, because Frank didn't look any older than he was right now, leaving Gerard with a year or so at the most to find a way out of their preordained fate, but the sinking feeling in the pit of Gerard's stomach led him to believe that he wasn't going to be that lucky.

It seemed as if his time was already running out, even though the exact amount of minutes that he had left was anyone's guess, but Gerard swore to use every one he had remaining to find a solution to this that spared Frank in the process, even if it killed him.


	23. When You Forgot What You Wrote So You Fuck Up The Plot But You Roll With It

Frank was currently wearing a hole in his already threadbare carpet, his odd bout of pacing brought on by the fact that he was trapped inside his home at an even earlier hour than usual, the curfew having being moved up to ten in the evening instead of midnight on account of the five new murders that had happened over the past week, one of the victims being Frank's neighbor from two doors down, and even though Frank understood that the police were only trying to protect the citizens of Belleville, Frank felt like a teenager who had been grounded after he had been caught sneaking out behind his parents back's.

Frank's restlessness was unusual though, because he was typically a homebody at heart, so the lock-down shouldn't have been bothering him so much, but if Frank allowed himself to delve into his uncharacteristic desire to leave his house, he knew that Gerard was the cause of this, even though he was doing his best not to go there, because that would only doom his flooring to certain death by his feet.

It had been almost three days since Frank had last seen Gerard, and although that wasn't too much time, relatively speaking, it seemed as if years had passed since Frank last felt Gerard's lips on his, and _fuck_ \- Frank missed him. His longing for the man far surpassed what he should be feeling for someone he had just met, but Gerard was different, he was _special_ for some reason that Frank couldn't quite explain, and Frank didn't really care that he was acting like a love struck teenager, because he related to that image more than the almost thirty year old he was supposed to be.

And even though Frank wasn't one for waiting around on someone, because he hated playing games, and the straightforward approach was what he preferred, Gerard was breaking all of Frank's previous rules regarding dating. Frank also didn't make a habit of falling head over heels for someone after one date, but that was exactly what was happening to him right now, despite his best attempts at convincing himself otherwise.

Jamia had become fed up with Frank's odd behavior earlier today, inspiring her to drag him aside once he had closed the veterinarian office after the last patron had finally left, sending him a stern look that never boded well for Frank, and he knew better by now than to try and lie his way out of anything when Jamia had that knowing glint in her eyes.

Frank ended up spilling every minute detail of his night with Gerard that he could recall, blaming him for the mark on his neck which Jamia had apparently gotten an eyeful of in spite of Frank's efforts at hiding it, because no matter how much Frank trusted Jamia, he didn't think telling her that he may have been raped by someone that could also erase memories wouldn't go over well, and honestly - he had almost forgotten about the unexplained cause of his bruises and soreness in the wake of Gerard's arrival into his life.

That wasn't to say that Frank wasn't still shaken up, or that he didn't double check all of the locks in his home before allowing himself to sleep, but Frank's main coping method of ignoring things that he couldn't explain or compartmentalize was in full effect, and as long as nothing like this happened again, Frank was more than content with pretending that he had simply had been sleepwalking, and he had somehow fucked himself with his vibrator as well as given himself a hickey on his neck, because the other option wasn't something that Frank wanted to delve into any further.

Jamia had practically deafened Frank with her squeal of excitement when he had informed her that he had in fact been on a date, because she was second to only Frank's mother in attempting to force Frank to settle down with someone, but unlike his mother, Jamia was perfectly fine with the fact that it was a man, much to Frank's relief.

Once Frank had finished his narration about his evening with Gerard, sufficiently satisfying Jamia's curiosity, he had been left alone with nothing but the few dogs he still had in his keeping for company, one of them being the white canine that Brendon and Ryan hadn't been back to visit, but Frank had already become attached to the little guy, so there was no way he was taking him to the pound, even if the two men had given up on him.

And although Frank would never admit it to anyone else, he had wasted his free time spending almost an hour changing his clothes and trying to fix his hair, desperately hoping that Gerard would show up tonight, because wasn't that the rule with first dates - _'wait three days'_ or something like that, but the clock had just slipped past ten-thirty now, and if Gerard had been planning on stopping by, he would have done it long before now.

Releasing a frustrated groan, Frank threw himself onto his couch, his body exhausted by its repetitive motions, but his mind was still running at full speed, thoughts of Gerard causing his muscles to tense up and his eyes to water as he came to the realization that Gerard had probably forgotten about him.

Frank felt like an idiot for not asking for his number, or some way to contact him, but he had been too caught in the euphoric feeling that surrounded him when Gerard so much as looked his way, so the thought hadn't even crossed his mind, and now Frank was paying the price for his own stupidity.

Frank wanted to be allowed to go outside, he ached to search the streets until he unearthed Gerard's home, as creepy as that sounded, but _fuck_ \- Frank needed to see him again, he might implode otherwise. Gerard had somehow managed to steal Frank's heart with nothing more than a cup of coffee and a few kisses, and despite how impractical the situation was, Frank didn't care, because he was almost certain that this was the beginnings of something he been waiting his entire life to experience, and he wasn't going to let this go, not until he found out if Gerard felt the same way.

~~~

Gerard tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Mikey and Ray to return home, because he was going to do it as soon as they walked through that door, he was finally going to tell them about Frank - he should have done it _days_ ago, but distractions kept popping up, the news about his dreams, coupled with his frequent visits with Quinn, as well as the small tasks that came with adjusting to their new living arrangements had kept Gerard busy, but his longing to return to Frank's side was becoming too strong to ignore for much longer, and he couldn't do anything to remedy that ache until he revealed his secret to his brother and his best friend.

He wasn't sure exactly where Mikey and Ray were at the moment, their paths hadn't crossed as much as usual with all of the going on's, the three of them typically only meeting up for a quick bite to eat before falling asleep, and the same pattern had happened again today.

Mikey and Ray had been absent when he returned from another session with Quinn, during which the vampire recorded everything Gerard could remember about his dreams, utilizing Gerard's functioning eyes to compare his visions with others that had been recorded in ancient tomes in the hopes of finding similarities, and maybe even a way to thwart the predetermined event. They had come up with nothing so far, but Quinn continued to remain optimistic that there was a way out of this, if they could unearth it in time or not was another matter though.

But Gerard had no further plans for the rest of the evening, not unless he managed to slip away and pay Frank a quick visit; Brendon had shown him the back gate yesterday, as well as how to open the rusty lock that only appeared to be shut, and now that Gerard had access to his mate, his skin was thrumming with the urge to hold him in his arms once more, to kiss the lips that haunted him day and night.

Just then, the door creaked open, snapping Gerard out of his fantasies involving Frank, his muscles tensing up as Mikey and Ray entered the living room, their fingers firmly entwined together in a way that exacerbated Gerard's yearning for Frank, because he wanted that with the dark haired man, he would do anything to have him by his side at all hours of the day and night like Mikey had with Ray, but because of their conflicting species, that wasn't possible just yet.

"Hey Gee - how are you doing?" Mikey asked warily as Gerard resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his younger brother, because ever since Mikey had learned that Gerard may very well perish in the near future, he had been acting as more of a nursemaid than a sibling, not that Gerard blamed him.

"I'm okay... _actually_ \- there is something I need to tell you both," Gerard sighed heavily, his fingers digging into the plush fabric of the couch as he braced himself for the worst.

"So do we," Ray blurted out before Mikey hushed him, but despite Gerard's promise to himself to stop putting his admission off for any longer, he latched onto the distraction, motioning for Ray to continue despite Mikey's obvious reluctance. "Mikey and I are officially mated now, and Bert is allowing us to hold a small ceremony in two weeks to celebrate it." Ray practically beamed once he had finished speaking, his smile stretching from ear to ear as he gazed at Mikey adoringly.

"Fucking _finally_ ," Gerard teased, because he honestly had assumed that Mikey and Ray would have taken that step the first night they had spent in the coven, but he hadn't been inclined to ask, his brother was very private about his love life, and Gerard really didn't want to delve into that dangerous territory anyway, "but seriously, I'm really happy for you two."

"Thanks," Mikey muttered under his breath, a crimson blush staining his cheeks as he stared a hole through his shoes, "now back to you, what did you want to talk about?" Mikey tactfully changed the subject, shuffling over to Gerard's side before plopping down on the adjacent cushion heavily.

"Oh - well, it's sort of involving a similar topic..." Gerard was forced to pause, his chest rising and falling quickly as he made himself spit the rest of his sentence out before he changed his mind, "I found my mate - it was while we were separated, and...he's a _human_ ," Gerard ended on a whisper, and if Mikey hadn't had such keen hearing that was inherent to their kind, there was no way he would have understood Gerard, but he _did_ , leaving Gerard to brace himself during the brief period of silence, but his waiting didn't last long, because Mikey broke it with a short bark of laughter which seemed to hold no traces of disbelief, just genuine humor.

"Gerard - _I know_ , we saw you with him a few nights ago, I was the one who left the symbol in front of his house - how the fuck would I have known to do that otherwise?" Mikey chortled, ignoring Gerard's furrowed eyebrows and downturned lips as he wiped his eyes lazily.

"Oh - I...I didn't think, _I mean_ \- you didn't say anything, and I thought maybe you told Brendon to leave it if he found me, or maybe - _fuck_ Mikey, stop laughing," Gerard whined, because he really didn't understand why Mikey found this situation so hilarious, but of course, his outburst only made his brother wheeze even harder.

"I'm sorry, I'm not making fun of you, I just can't believe that you didn't put two and two together." Mikey attempted to mask his expression back into a more serious one, but his lips continued to twitch upward slightly, and Gerard hoped he choked on his mirth.

"Hey - don't make fun of me for assuming my brother would approach me if he knew I was mated with a human," Gerard huffed, his arms crossing over his chest as he tried his best to defend himself, but _honestly_ \- he hadn't even thought about that symbol since the night he had seen it, and he really felt like an idiot for not connecting the dots. He had assumed that Brendon was the only one who had seen him that night, but apparently Mikey had been with him, which meant he saw Frank, and not only that, but he had left them be instead of confronting them, which must mean that Mikey wasn't bothered by their relationship.

"Well excuse me for giving you some privacy. I was confused at first honestly, but Brendon was the one who figured out that you two are mated, I guess that happens now, he showed us a whole book on the subject. I was planning on talking to you about it as soon as you got back, but after everything that happened, I decided to wait until you finally grew some balls and told me in your own time."

"Yes - he showed me the book, and I - _wait_ , does this mean you are okay with this, because I know it's weird, but Frank isn't like the humans we used to know, he is really kind, and sweet, and wonderful, and I - _fuck_ , I love him, I don't care that he is human, he's just so perfect, and I want you to like him too -"

"Gerard, take a breath okay," Mikey cut Gerard off suddenly, waiting for his mouth to stop running at one hundred miles a minute before continuing, "yes - I'm fine with it, even though I am still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing, but in the end, I just want you to be happy, and if Frank does that for you, then I don't give a shit what his species is, _okay_?" Mikey answered sincerely, and when Gerard glanced toward Ray, he was nodding in agreement as well, even though his face held a stony cast, but Gerard didn't begrudge him for his reluctance, because if their positions had been reversed, Gerard wasn't sure how well he would have taken the news if it had been his friend who had mated with a human.

"Oh thank fuck - I was so terrified that you were going to hate me," Gerard exhaled in relief, his eyes watering slightly as he pulled his brother into a fierce embrace.

"I could never hate you Gee, you know that, but be careful around Frank okay...I know you love him, but _still_ -"

"I know, and I will," Gerard nodded solemnly, because he could read in between the lines, and the words Mikey hadn't spoken hung heavily in the air, the fact that Frank's kind had killed the majority of the vampire population would never leave Gerard's mind, but Frank wouldn't do that - he _couldn't_ , still, Gerard understood Mikey's silent warning to tread carefully around him for the time being. "I was actually going to see him tonight once I told you," Gerard added as almost an afterthought, because he had to inform Mikey about his intentions to leave the coven, otherwise fuck knows what Mikey would do if he discovered that he was missing.

"Okay...I'm not going to stop you, but I'm assuming you read most of the book," Gerard nodded in response, because he had actually poured over the words so many times that they were permanently burned behind his eyelids, and he was certain he knew what Mikey was going to say next, "so you know that not everyone is as accepting of this as we are?"

"I do, and I won't get caught - Brendon showed me a secret way out, and even if I do, I won't implicate you in this, _I_ _swear_."

"It's not us I'm worried about Gerard, but it doesn't matter, I know that if Ray was a human, I would risk anything to see him, so go on - if anyone comes looking for you, I will tell them that you aren't feeling well or some bullshit excuse like that," Mikey smiled reassuringly, and even though Gerard could see the hidden fear behind the happy expression, he didn't have time to stay and assuage Mikey's misgivings for any longer, it was already almost ten in the evening, and given the fact that Frank slept during the night, Gerard had to hurry if he was going to catch him before he went to bed.

"Thank you so much Mikes, and I'll be back soon, Frank might not even be awake anymore, but I at least need to try and see him, even if I only leave a note on his doorstep, it's been too long already," Gerard babbled out as he tugged his shoes on clumsily, leaving the laces half tied as he moved his attention to searching for his coat.

"Take you time, just be back before sunrise," Mikey grinned, his body now stretched across the couch that Gerard had just vacated, his long legs taking up the entire space and then some.

"I will, I promise," Gerard called out as headed out the front door, sending Mikey and Ray a quick wave before he darted in the direction of the back gate, making sure that no one was in the nearby vicinity as he broke into a quick jog, his body humming with energy now that he had received Mikey's blessing and his reunion with Frank was finally within reach.

And even though a large portion of Gerard was afraid, because despite the fact that he and Frank could be properly mated - they weren't yet, and Frank may have moved on, or met another man already, or even just been asleep by his point, Gerard's excitement was drowning everything else out, and for the first time in his life, Gerard was determined to look on the bright side, and he wouldn't allow any negative scenarios to ruin his mood until they were actually happening.

Because even after everything that he had suffered through, and the horrors that may be awaiting him in the future, Frank somehow made it all fade into insignificance, _hell_ \- Frank was worth all of his pain, and years of loneliness, and more, so no matter how tonight turned out, Gerard wasn't going to second-guess everything, not this time.

~~~

"This is getting out of control Dean," Sam sighed, snapping his laptop closed for extra emphasis, because research obviously wasn't helping them right now, and he was tired of staring at the screen that was doing nothing besides giving him a headache.

"Don't you think I know that?" Dean fired back, his hands clenching into loose fists as he spoke. "Our body count has doubled, and no one has seen anyone who matches the description of that vamp we thought we killed, so we are left with a heaping pile of absolutely nothing."

"So what do we do now?" Sam asked, not truly expecting an answer, but they had to try something new, and maybe talking it out would cast some light on an undiscovered clue that they had missed.

"I don't know...we need to start over, interview some more people, but Sammy," Dean waited for his brother to meet his gaze before continuing, "I think you were right."

"About?" Sam prodded, not yet catching on to what Dean was implying.

"There has to be a coven here, or at least a group of vampires working together. Five deaths in a week is too much for one vamp to do on their own, _fuck_ \- this is bigger than that, I should have listened to you from the beginning."

"Well that is going to make our job even harder," Sam exhaled heavily, barely resisting the urge to say _'I told you so'_ , because Dean admitting he was wrong was a rare occurrence, and Sam was determined to enjoy this without ruining the moment with any childish antics.

"It is - I think it's time to call in some help."

"Okay - I'll see who I can round up," Sam nodded in agreement, because this was _big_ \- much bigger than the two of them, _hell_ \- this could be the largest gathering of vampires recorded since the New York coven had finally been taken down, and Sam knew for a fact that every hunter in the nearby vicinity would respond to their plea for backup. With their combined strength, he had no doubt that they would eliminate this accumulation of the wretched species, bringing them one step closer to a world free of the dreaded race of bloodsuckers, which was a utopia that Sam truly hoped he lived long enough to witness with his own eyes.


	24. This Chapter Brought To You By A Lesson In Romantics By Mayday Parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Fight Club spoilers if anyone hasn't watched the movie*

Gerard knocked on Frank's front door eagerly, practically bouncing back and forth from foot to foot as he waited for the younger man to answer, making sure to keep his senses alert despite his excitement. Gerard hadn't forgotten about the hunters that had almost taken his life, and although he was unsure if they were still in town or not, he was better off playing it safe, but luckily for him, he didn't sense anyone nearby besides the few people occupying the adjacent houses.

Just when Gerard had ascertained that he was in no danger of discovery for the time being, a soft creaking sound reached his ears, and when he turned around, there was Frank standing before him, but instead of looking surprised to see him, or even better, ecstatic, Frank seemed concerned, shooting Gerard a questioning glance before peering over Gerard's shoulder hastily as if he expected to spy someone else lurking behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Frank hissed softly, but Gerard could feel a bubble of happiness rippling along the bond they shared, informing him that Frank wasn't as put off by his random appearance as he seemed to be.

"I just wanted to see you," Gerard whispered, Frank's odd behavior inspiring his hushed tone. "I'm sorry, I know it is late...I can come back tomorrow if you want."

"No..." Frank paused suddenly when the familiar rumble of a car engine began to fill the otherwise silent air. "Get in - _quickly_."

"What's wrong?" Gerard asked warily as soon as Frank had the wooden door shut behind him, thrown off by the fact that Frank was practically thrumming with nervous energy, not to mention that it was taking all of the self-control Gerard possessed not to drag Frank's mouth onto his then and here.

"It's past curfew, that's what," Frank answered, his eyebrows furrowing as Gerard followed him into the living room slowly. "How did you even make it here without getting caught?" 

Honestly, Gerard was entirely clueless in regards to what Frank was speaking of, but whatever it was, it most likely was common knowledge to the human residents of this city, and if Gerard admitted to not knowing what Frank meant, it could cast some suspicion on him, and Gerard wasn't ready to explain what he was to Frank just yet, this was only their second official meeting after all.

"Is it?" Gerard questioned, pretending to peer over at the clock in mock confusion, "I must have lost track of the time...I can go if you want, I'll make sure to come by earlier tomorrow," Gerard sighed, not wanting to spend the next twenty-four hours without Frank, or even another minute, but Frank was obviously distressed, and Gerard would do anything to ensure his mate's happiness.

"No, I'm sorry, you just startled me is all, and I don't want you to leave, in fact, you should probably stay here until morning unless you want to risk the cops finding you on the streets after hours. I heard they are instantly arresting everyone now and considering them a murder suspect."

Gerard nodded slowly, his mind churning as he began to connect the hints Frank was giving him, coming to the conclusion that the oddly strict rules in this town were most likely related to the strange deaths that had brought the hunters here in the first place, in fact - he faintly recalled Sam and Dean complaining about a curfew now, but the main thing Gerard got out of this was that he now had the perfect excuse to spend the rest of the evening with Frank, which was a much better outcome than he had been expecting when he headed over here earlier.

"I'd like that," Gerard smiled softly, giving in to his body's wishes and gently pulling Frank into his arms, sighing softly when Frank immediately melted against him, his head burrowing into Gerard's t-shirt as he inhaled subtly. "I missed you," Gerard added on, basking in the way Frank's emotions spiked with joy as his words sunk in.

"So did I," Frank mumbled, his statement emerging muffled by the fabric covering his lips. "I wasn't sure if I was going to see you again."

"I promised you that I would be back soon," Gerard reassured him, although he knew that not showing his face for the past three days didn't leave a very good impression, but what else was he supposed to say in way of an explanation, because Frank wasn't ready for the truth - _not yet_ that is.

"It doesn't matter, I'm just glad you are here now," Frank grinned up at Gerard, his eyes sparkling brightly as he tugged Gerard further into the room. "You are giving me your phone number though, I don't think I can make it that long without at least being able to call you up," Frank laughed airily, a hint of awkwardness coloring his tone as Gerard remained quiet, furiously wracking his brain for the second time that night, realizing that keeping up with Frank and his entirely different world without alerting him to Gerard's oddities was going to be harder than he had imagined.

" _Well_ \- I don't have one yet," Gerard settled on saying, his heart twisting when Frank's expression fell suddenly, as if he assumed that Gerard was lying to him so he wouldn't have to give out his personal information. "I mean, there's the house phone," Gerard rambled on, trying to make his story as believable as possible so Frank wouldn't wrongly assume that Gerard was being an ass over this, "but I can't remember the number just yet, a lot of things haven't sunk in since the move, but I'm planning on getting a cell as soon as possible. I'm not a fan of technology, but my brother has been pressing me to carry one in case of emergencies, and being able to talk with you would be an added bonus."

Even though Gerard was fabricating the tale involving Mikey wanting to be able to contact him, he quickly realized that it would be beneficial to him to be able to keep in touch with his brother without having to be in the same room as him, especially since he would be sneaking out of the coven as often as possible to spend time with Frank, so he made a mental note to find a store that sold cell phones before heading back to the church.

"Oh okay," Frank beamed instantly, the tense aura in the air bleeding away as he turned to his end table, emerging with a small pad of paper and a pen. "I'll give you my number so you can text me once you have one then - sound good?"

"Perfect actually," Gerard smiled back, figuratively wiping his brow after dodging the second bullet Frank had sent his way. Gerard had never owned a cell phone before, but if it set Frank at ease, he would go to much greater lengths than purchasing some odd device to do so, and he wasn't going to deny that being able to hear Frank's voice when he couldn't physically be near him would be very welcoming.

"So what do you want to do now that you are trapped here until morning?" Frank asked once Gerard had pocketed the slip with Frank's digits scrawled across it, making sure to push it deep inside his jeans so it wouldn't fall out by accident on his way home. "I was just watching some tv," Frank gestured to the screen which was currently flickering in the background, "but we can switch on a movie or something."

"That sounds wonderful," Gerard agreed, stepping closer so he could tug Frank back into his arms briefly, pressing a soft kiss to his upturned lips when Frank tilted his head forward in a silent invitation. Frank giggled quietly after Gerard pulled away, his cheeks staining red as he gazed up at the older man adoringly. "I really did miss you," Gerard repeated, wanting Frank to understand how hard their separation had been on him, regardless of the fact that it had only lasted for three days.

"Good," Frank chuckled, linking his fingers with Gerard's before tugging him downward onto the couch, instantly snuggling against Gerard's side once they were both settled on the cushions, "although I'm pretty sure I missed you more."

"Impossible," Gerard argued back, a teasing lilt coloring his tone as Frank pretended to look affronted in response.

"No - _seriously_ ," Frank protested, a sudden weight to his words causing Gerard to sit up slightly, giving Frank his full attention as he opened and closed his mouth a few times before continuing. "I - I was actually terrified that I was never going to see you again, and I know that was ridiculous of me, but...uh, I _really_ like you Gerard," Frank finished abruptly, a blush tinting his skin again, but this time it was caused by embarrassment, which Gerard could sense through the emotions that he now shared with the younger man.

"Frank - listen to me," Gerard murmured, cupping Frank's cheek lightly so he was forced to look into his eyes, realizing that even though Frank hadn't yet mated with Gerard, he was experiencing a strong cocktail of feelings that were overwhelming his human mind, and Gerard wanted nothing more than to put Frank's fears to rest before he allowed them to eat away at him. "I am pretty crazy for you too, and I swear I'm not just messing around. It's only been a few days, but there is something here, and you already mean the world to me. I'm not going to disappear on you, even if I can't come see you as much as I would like to, and if you ever need me, I'll find a way to be by your side. So like it or not, you are stuck with me now."

Gerard hoped his vague explanation would be enough to placate Frank for the time being, because as much as he yearned to go into more detail regarding how strongly he was truly tied to Frank, that would be too much, too soon, so this would have to do for now.

"Yeah?" Frank croaked out, his voice emitting in a choked fashion that Gerard felt echoed inside of his own chest cavity, his heartbeat speeding up as Frank leaned over, brushing Gerard's lips slightly with his own before pulling away, patiently waiting for Gerard's response.

"Yes - _honestly_ , you are the most amazing person I have ever met, and I can't wait to be able to get to know you better."

"Oh thank god," Frank exhaled heavily, a laugh pushing its way out of his throat as all of his muscles relaxed. "I thought I was the only one feeling this way for a bit. It's sort of odd, but I can't imagine living without you already."

"I know what you mean," Gerard responded, because he literally _couldn't_ ; he would die if Frank wasn't in his life, and knowing that Frank shared his sentiment, even if was not as literal as Gerard's situation was a balm to Gerard's numerous fears involving their unconventional relationship.

"Well now that we got that out of the way, which film do you want to watch?" Frank asked, a constant smile tugging at his lips as he stood up, showing Gerard his case full of DVD's, and of course, Gerard didn't recognize any of them.

"You pick sugar," Gerard chuckled when his bond with Frank literally pulsated once he used his pet name for Frank, observing the younger man from the corner of his eye as he thumbed through the numerous discs before finally making a selection, popping it into the black player under his television with a soft click.

"It's Fight Club, have you seen it?" Frank questioned as he returned to his previous position next to Gerard, his blush returning when Gerard instantly wrapped his arms around Frank as he fiddled with the remote.

"Nope, is it any good?"

"You really haven't - never mind, just shut up and pay attention," Frank commanded, rolling his eyes at Gerard's lack of movie knowledge, but it was an affectionate gesture, and it wasn't like Frank knew that Gerard had spent most of his life on the run, leaving very little time for him to keep up with the popular films.

Gerard actually did find himself becoming immersed in the storyline rather quickly, but it was hard to concentrate completely when he had Frank's warm body pressed up against him. Frank seemed just as involved in the screen as Gerard was, but he had threaded his fingers through Gerard's not long after the movie started, occasionally rubbing his thumb along Gerard's knuckles absentmindedly, and even that simple pressure had Gerard on edge.

Frank didn't appear to be as affected by their closeness as Gerard was, but that was understandable. He wasn't a vampire after all, and he also wasn't mated to Gerard either, which meant that to him, this was a perfectly normal act, but Gerard wanted _more_.

Frank smelled even better than Gerard had remembered, and the tempting thud of his pulse was quickly filling Gerard's ears, replacing the voices of the characters on the screen no matter how hard Gerard tried to focus on them, not that Gerard was actually hungry. He had only recently received a large amount of Frank's blood, but _still_ , the urge to mouth at the pulse point ticking in his neck was becoming borderline overwhelming.

With a supreme effort of will, Gerard managed to make it through the entire film, even forgetting his baser desires for a moment when the plot reached its climax, gasping softly when he realized that the narrator and Tyler had actually been the same person all along, earning himself a knowing chuckle from Frank in return, and Gerard could tell that Frank had been waiting avidly for Gerard's reaction this entire time.

"So what did you think?" Frank asked as the ending credits rolled across the screen, turning slightly so that he was facing Gerard, placing his free hand on Gerard's thigh idly as he spoke.

"It was really good actually, I didn't see that coming," Gerard commented, biting his lip to hold back the groan forming in his throat as Frank unconsciously moved his palm higher up Gerard's leg.

"I know, it blew my mind the first time I watched it," Frank agreed, sounding slightly distracted for some reason, and before Gerard could inquire as to why, Frank was surging upward, attaching their lips roughly as Gerard inhaled harshly in surprise, his arms instinctually wrapping around Frank's back so he could pull the smaller man even closer to him. "I've been waiting to do this all night," Frank mumbled darkly before diving back down, his tongue slipping into Gerard's mouth when he opened up for him eagerly.

Gerard let Frank set the pace, which was something he would normally never allow, but Frank was different - he was his _mate_ , and Gerard didn't want to lose control and force Frank into anything like he had done last time, so he convinced himself to lay back despite the fact that it went against every one of his rules involving humans, gasping softly when Frank crawled into his lap, never once breaking the connection of their lips in the process.

Frank quickly became bolder when he realized that Gerard wanted this just as badly as he did, his hands fumbling with Gerard's belt as his own hips began to buck forward in short bursts, but Gerard didn't want a repeat of the other night, so before this escalated any further, he captured Frank's wrists in a gentle grip, stopping his frantic motions as Frank stared at him in confusion, his eyes glassy and unfocused as Gerard pushed his torso upward slightly.

"What do you want sugar?" Gerard asked, because if he was going to do anything with Frank, he needed to hear the words, Frank would have to verbally consent, Gerard refused to take anything from him ever again if Frank didn't desire it.

"I - _fuck_ , anything," Frank heaved out, his dilated pupils widening even further as Gerard gazed down at him hungrily. "Been wanting you to touch me since day one."

"Okay sugar, but this is going to be all about you," Gerard murmured, hoping that focusing on Frank's pleasure alone would somehow alleviate the guilt he experienced whenever he thought back to their first meeting, not to mention there was something that he had been dying to do to Frank that he hadn't gotten the chance to explore during their previous encounter.

Frank whimpered low in his throat when Gerard removed him of his shirt, making quick work of his pants not long after that. Gerard loved the way Frank immediately handed control over to Gerard without a single protest, proving that he did enjoy being the more submissive partner even without the venom of a vampire's bite flowing through his veins, which was just another thing for Gerard to add to his list of numerous reasons why he adored Frank.

"Please?" Frank begged openly once Gerard had him completely stripped down and he was lying with his back against the couch, throwing off his own shirt so he could feel Frank's bare skin against his own once more.

"Patience love," Gerard whispered, the term slipping from his lips without his consent, but Frank seemed too wound up to notice, so Gerard quickly slated their mouths back together, preventing himself from saying anything else idiotic in the process.

Frank arched against Gerard's body, a satisfied moan vibrating through him as Gerard kissed him deeply, his hands wandering over Frank's inked torso, stroking every inch of him that he could reach with the pads of his fingers, delighting in the way Frank shivered violently under his touch.

When Frank had to pull away for air, Gerard replaced his fingers with his mouth, trailing a series of wet kisses down Frank's chest lazily, spending extra time on his nipples when Frank keened loudly, the buds hardening under Gerard's skilled tongue as he sucked on them heavily.

Gerard quickly became impatient though, Frank's swollen cock which was pressing against his stomach incited him to move down lower, placing a wet kiss to the slit of his dick before taking just the head into his mouth, sucking liberally as Frank cried out above him, his thighs shaking around Gerard as he tried to stop himself from bucking into Gerard's mouth like Gerard knew he wanted to.

But as much as Gerard loved sucking Frank's cock, which was just another thing he typically did not do with humans, he didn't want to finish him this way - _no_ , he had something else planned for Frank tonight, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy the sensation of Frank's length stretching his lips for a little while longer.

Gerard took a moment to savor the heavy flavor leaking from Frank's cock, swirling his tongue around it to gather up the precome accumulating there before moving lower, turning his attention to Frank's pale thighs that were practically begging to be marked up.

Frank writhed back and forth as Gerard sunk his teeth into the sensitive skin there, licking softly over the crescent shaped indents once he was done with them until Frank was a panting mess, his legs spreading apart instinctually when Gerard finished, his chest heaving up and down as he waited for Gerard to do something else.

Gerard smirked to himself when he caught sight of Frank's pink hole, the muscle being exposed to him when Frank bent his knees forward, a soft whimper leaving his mouth as Gerard stroked over his puckered entrance gently with his index finger.

"Fuck me - _please_?" Frank begged, and although Gerard did desire to feel Frank's tight walls constricting around his cock for a second time, he had something else in mind, so he ignored Frank completely, instead stretching out on his stomach as best as he could, pressing his face into Frank's crack before licking a broad stripe over Frank's hole.

" _Holy fuck_ ," Frank exclaimed, his legs snapping closed around Gerard's head before he forced them to relax again, his entire frame trembling as Gerard tried to get a better angle in which to actually shove his tongue inside, but it wasn't working out as well as he hoped.

"Can you turn over for me sugar?" Gerard asked, helping Frank flip his body after receiving a nod of affirmation from the younger man until he was situated on his hands and knees, his cock hanging heavy and swollen in between his thighs as Gerard groaned weakly, taking a few seconds to unbutton his own constricting pants, pulling his aching cock out so he could give it a few slow strokes in the hopes of pushing back the orgasm that was quickly building just by looking at Frank like this.

"You - you don't..." Frank tried to protest against Gerard's actions, but Gerard could feel from the connection of their bond that Frank wanted this more than he was letting on, although the thought caused him some embarrassment, leading Gerard to believe that no one had ever properly eaten Frank out before, and he sure as hell wanted to be the first.

"Hush now," Gerard growled, smirking to himself when Frank's jaw clicked shut, allowing him to return to lapping at Frank's hole eagerly before pulling away, watching in awe as the muscle tensed and relaxed in anticipation, his spit coating it with an obscene sheen. "You taste so good sugar."

" _Please_ \- put it inside me," Frank whimpered, his early hesitance forgotten as Gerard grazed his teeth against his entrance, applying suction that had Frank attempting to dig his hands into the couch cushions, his head falling forward as he moaned loudly once he managed to get the words out.

Gerard gave Frank what he was asking for, using one hand to keep him open while the other returned to his own length, stroking himself slowly as he forced his tongue past the resistance it was meeting, shoving it into Frank roughly, twisting and licking at his inner walls as Frank all but screamed in pleasure, his hips pushing back against Gerard's face as Gerard moaned as much as he could with his mouth otherwise occupied.

Gerard's cock was leaking all over his fist by this point as he continued to eat Frank out like there was nothing he would rather be doing, something about the intimate act exciting him to the point of ecstasy, and the fact that he was doing it to Frank, and that Frank was enjoying it was pushing him closer and closer to the edge, until Gerard was worried that he was going to lose it before Frank did.

But just when Gerard felt as if he couldn't contain the pressure in his lower belly any longer, Frank whined harshly, his pulse which Gerard could feel in his ass thudding heavily as Frank came, his muscles constricting around Gerard's tongue to an almost painful degree, a plethora of obscenities littered with Gerard's name filling the musky air as Frank shook erratically.

" _Fuck_ Frank," Gerard gasped, removing his mouth from Frank's hole once he was empty, wiping his chin halfheartedly before pressing his leaking cock into the slit of Frank's crack, the wet friction providing exactly what Gerard needed to send himself over the edge, and with a satisfied moan, Gerard was coming, staining the guns tattooed upon Frank's back with streaks of white as he clutched onto Frank's hips, using the feeling of his fingers pressing into Frank's skin as something to ground himself with as his orgasm tore through every one of his nerve endings.

Finally, Gerard managed to regain control of himself, his body collapsing back onto the couch, the fabric irritating his sweat soaked back as he tugged Frank into his lap, smothering his neck in lazy kisses since he didn't exactly want to connect their lips again considering where his mouth had been, not that he minded Frank's taste - in fact, he _loved_ it, but he doubted that Frank would feel the same way.

"That was - _holy shit_...I," Frank stammered out, his chest heaving as he relaxed against Gerard gratefully. " _Wow_ ," Frank finally settled on saying. "I don't know what came over me, I'm not usually so forward, but that was seriously the best orgasm of my entire life." Frank flushed heavily after his admission, obviously unsure of himself now that the moment had passed, but Gerard refused to let the awkwardness filling the air to fester, wanting Frank to understand that he had done nothing wrong, and if he hadn't made the first move, Gerard sure as hell would have.

"That was perfect...you are perfect," Gerard murmured in reply, tugging Frank even closer to him as their bond pulsated with their shared pleasure, leaving Gerard feeling happier than he had in years, and it was all because of Frank.

Gerard felt like the luckiest person in the world when he realized that he was the only one who would ever get to see Frank like this again, although Frank wasn't exactly aware of that fact yet, but someday soon, Gerard would explain everything to him, and right now, Gerard couldn't imagine a scenario in which Frank would take the information in anything less than a positive manner.


	25. Hide Your Hickeys

Pete didn't remember exactly why he had chosen to wander around the town center, which was a place he usually avoided due to his reputation, but somehow he had found himself here, even though he instantly regretted whatever unconscious decision that had inspired him to make the journey in the first place, but he also didn't have the energy to leave now that he had arrived.

The courtyard in the center of the coven had been converted into a sort of marketplace, although money wasn't exchanged, instead, homemade goods and crafts were traded for self-grown foods and other similar items. Pete skirted around the few stands that had a decent amount of people gathered near them, not wanting to receive any stares or harsh words right now, he wasn't sure if his fragile psyche would be able to take it.

Pete had just finished another failed session with his mother, during which she had done everything she could to try and draw out his powers, but no matter how angry she made him, or how often she had prodded and taunted him, throwing the loss of Mikey into his face if he didn't produce some sort of results, Pete hadn't been able to do more than make a small stone shake for a brief period of time.

Pete had given up once it became apparent that whatever abilities he possessed had decided to go dormant for the evening, choosing to walk off his frustration and the blinding headache that was throbbing behind his temples until his body was exhausted enough to fall asleep.

Pete knew he could go spend the rest of the night with Brendon and Ryan, but company repulsed him right now. He didn't want to talk about his time with his mother, or pretend that he was ignorant of the pitying glances that his two friends would shoot to each other behind his back. He just wanted everything to go back to normal, to before he knew he had powers, to before he met Mikey, to when he was _happy_.

And as if the world was determined to add to his misery in any way that it could, someone bumped into Pete just them, jostling him roughly in the process. Pete looked up fearfully, prepared to apologize even though he had done nothing wrong, but the words he had been planning on saying dried up in his throat when he met the honey colored eyes of none other than his mate.

Pete had almost managed to force himself to forgot how gorgeous Mikey was, and how his heart would race at twice its normal speed when he was in his presence, but now that he was face to face with the other vampire, all of those sensations were rushing back to the surface, and Pete was left speechless, his mouth hanging open unattractively as Mikey stared down at him with a worried expression pulling at his perfect features.

"I'm sorry...are you okay?" Mikey asked warily, and _fuck_ \- Pete had yet to be graced with the sound of Mikey's voice, and although it probably wasn't anything special relatively speaking, Pete was practically swooning on the spot as he tried to absorb Mikey's meaning instead of simply focusing on his tone like his brain seemed to be doing.

"I - yeah, I'm okay," Pete mumbled quietly, his cheeks flaring bright red as Mikey smiled at him kindly.

"Are you sure? I should have been looking where I was going, but I'm still not used to being around so many people at once." Pete shifted from foot to foot slowly, remembering that Mikey had been on the run out in the world for most of his life, so what was normal to Pete was probably overwhelming to the other vampire.

"Oh...that must be hard." Pete mentally patted himself on the back for being able to form a coherent sentence without embarrassing himself. "Do you like it here though?"

"It's amazing," Mikey gushed, his eyes glittering brightly as he spoke. "I never thought I would see a coven again, so believe me, this is a dream come true."

"Well I'm glad you found us," Pete admitted shyly, subtly shifting his head to the side in the hopes of hiding the crimson tint he was sure his skin was carrying.

"Thank you," Mikey beamed, the dimples which appeared with the gesture almost killing Pete. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name."

"I'm Pete."

"Well Pete, it was nice to meet you, I'm Mikey, and this..." Mikey paused before turning around quickly, waving to Ray who had appeared from a nearby stall much to Pete's chagrin, "is my mate, Ray."

"Hello," Pete muttered under his breath, hoping the sullen cast to his tone wasn't as blindly obvious to the others as it sounded to him.

"We are going to be mated officially soon, Bert is throwing us a small ceremony if you want to come."

"That's great," Pete managed to spit out through gritted teeth, doing his best to ignore the way his stomach sunk down into his toes when Ray wrapped his arm around Mikey lovingly. "I'll try to make it."

"Well I hope we see you there," Mikey grinned, obviously missing out on Pete's internal distress, which Pete wasn't sure if he should be grateful of or not. "We have to get going now, but I'll see you around?" Mikey asked, and even though Pete felt like he was about to break out in a fit of sobs at any moment, he managed to nod his head shakily in affirmation.

Mikey and Ray both waved goodbye to him before heading back toward the residential side of the coven, leaving Pete to stare after their retreating figures longingly, imagining himself in Ray's place. That should be him leading Mikey back to their home, his hand that was intertwined with Mikey's thin fingers, his ceremony that Mikey would share with him.

Pete didn't even flinch when the small fruit stand behind him suddenly collapsed, and although he hadn't meant to break the fragile wooden structure, he was too upset to care about its fate. No one had been near it anyway, but now people were flocking toward the sight of the random act of destruction hurriedly, inspiring Pete to slip away before he was noticed, wiping angrily at the hot tears that were spilling from his eyes with ever increasing frequency.

~~~

Gerard forced himself to leave Frank's house a little after five in the morning, knowing that he didn't have long before the sun would begin to rise. It was still a struggle, especially given the fact that Frank had wrapped himself around Gerard's limbs in an adorable fashion that was also quite difficult to escape from. Frank was apparently a heavy sleeper though given the fact that he didn't stir at all during Gerard's bout of twisting and turning.

They had fallen asleep together last night after cleaning up from their earlier actives, _well_ \- Gerard had mostly dozed, but listening to Frank's steady inhalations and running his hands through his hair had been more than enough to keep him entertained for hours. Gerard was still awestruck by how deeply he cared for Frank, and he wished he had more time to bask in his presence.

He would have other opportunities later on though, and he had to get moving now if he wanted to make it back to the coven before daylight, especially since he planned on stopping along the way so he could purchase a cell phone, so after pressing a lingering kiss to Frank's forehead in the form of a silent farewell, Gerard vacated the room as quietly as he could.

Gerard looked both ways once he made it out onto the street, unsure when the curfew Frank had spoken of would be lifted, and the last thing he needed right now was to be arrested. Luck was on Gerard's side though, because he managed to make it through town without incident, and he even found a small electronics shop that had just opened up, making him think that the restrictions had indeed ended or else the store wouldn't receive any business.

Gerard was instantly overwhelmed the second he walked inside, and even though the selection in front of him was probably pathetic compared to what other larger chains carried, Gerard had never seen so many odd devices in his life. After wandering around for a few minutes with what was probably a comical expression of confusion plastered on his face, the half-asleep looking salesman took pity on him and asked what he was looking for.

After explaining that he wanted a pair of cheap cell phones, deciding to buy one for Mikey as well so he could keep him updated when he was outside of the coven, the associate named Dan helped him pick out a model, which just so happened to be having a two for one special at the moment.

Gerard didn't have much money on him, but his meager savings proved enough to cover the purchase. Dan even took the time to walk him through how to use the device when Gerard stared at it blankly once it was in his hand, showing him how to add contacts, as well as call and text.

Gerard immediately took out Frank's number, saving it into his phone so he could send him a quick message saying that last night had been amazing and he hoped they could get together again soon. Frank didn't respond, not that Gerard had really expected him to, he was most likely still fast asleep, but Gerard wanted to leave Frank with something to wake up to besides cold sheets and confusion.

As Gerard made his way back to the church at a rapid pace, sending nervous glances to the increasingly brightening sky as he went, he couldn't help but replay his evening with Frank over and over again. Everything about it had been perfect, from the movie, to the cuddling, to the sex, and Gerard physically ached to create more memories between the two of them as soon as possible.

Gerard was still trying to acclimate himself to having a new person in his life who actually meant something to him, and _fuck_ \- Frank was basically everything to him right now, he cared so much for him that it was almost painful. Gerard had no idea being mated would be this intense, although it wasn't like he hadn't spent enough time around Mikey and Ray to have an example of what he should have expected, but it had still managed to catch him off guard. He wanted nothing more than to return to Frank's home and burrow back under the blankets with him, to profess his love to him, to tell Frank that he never wanted to leave his side again.

But Gerard couldn't do that, he had to take things slowly, which was much easier said than done. Gerard ached to make Frank his completely, to have him drink Gerard's blood so he could experience the bond that constantly thrummed through Gerard's veins, but if he didn't approach that subject delicately, he ran the risk of losing Frank forever.

 _Still_ \- Gerard was considering asking Frank to officially become his boyfriend the next time he saw him, which wasn't nearly enough of a commitment, although it would be a very good start, but he wasn't sure if that was too soon. Maybe he would ask Brendon and Ryan what they thought he should do, they understood humans much better than Gerard did, and an outsider's perspective was something Gerard needed right now since all of the rationality Gerard had once possessed had flown out the window the second he had met Frank.

Whatever happened though, Frank did care for Gerard, his words and actions proved that, not to mention the emotions that Gerard could sense flowing through their bond, and hopefully if Gerard was patient, his affection would transform into a love so strong that he would be willing to stay with Gerard even after the truth was exposed, he had to - Gerard refused to consider any other option right now.

~~~

Frank awoke before his alarm for once, his limbs tingling pleasantly as he stretched idly, basking in the feeling of contentment that hadn't left him since Gerard had appeared at his doorstep last night.

Frank's happiness instantly deflated when he realized that he was alone in his bed though, and even if he hadn't specifically asked Gerard to spend the night, he knew he had fallen asleep snuggled into his side, and Frank had been looking forward to waking up next to him, not to mention making breakfast for someone besides himself for the first time in far too long.

Frank sat up quickly, wanting to ascertain if Gerard had left him a note or something explaining his absence. It wasn't like Gerard had to answer to Frank, and he most likely had places to be which was why he wasn't here, but Frank was clingy by nature, and he didn't know where the off switch to that particular trait resided inside his brain.

Frank didn't find a physical explanation, but when he noticed his phone blinking with a new message which had come from an unknown number, Frank almost knocked the device off of the dresser in his hurry to grab it. Once he clicked on the notification, Frank was filled with a second round of joy, because it was indeed from Gerard, which meant that he had gone out and bought a cell phone just so he could keep in contact with Frank, and the gesture warmed Frank's heart more than Gerard would ever know.

Frank typed out a quick text to Gerard in response, telling Gerard that he also had a great time last night, mentioning the fact that he was free pretty much every evening and he couldn't wait to see Gerard again either. As much as Frank wanted to wait around so he could be near his phone as soon as Gerard responded, he forced himself to get dressed, knowing that Jamia would be here soon to help him open up his practice.

Just as Frank was pulling on his white coat and adjusting his name tag, a harsh knock sounded from downstairs. Frank scowled irritably, because Jamia had keys to his place, so it couldn't be her, meaning it must be a client who couldn't wait one more hour to get their pet treated, or maybe - just _maybe_ , it was Gerard returning with some take-out breakfast.

Frank knew the odds of it actually being Gerard at the door were slim, but even the minute chance had him sprinting down the stairs, his hand quickly pulling the knob open without bothering to look through the peephole first, which left Frank very startled when he was faced with two men in suits instead of someone holding an animal or his current love interest.

"Um...can I help you?" Frank questioned curiously, peering up at the two much taller men who were currently reaching into their jackets.

"Hi - yes, I'm Agent Angus and this here is Agent Young," the shorter of the two introduced themselves, briefly waving an official looking badge in Frank's face, but Frank was too busy wondering if they knew that if they put their names together they would be Angus Young from AC/DC to properly look at it. "I'm assuming you are Mr. Iero?" Frank nodded dumbly, trying to force his sleep-addled brain to figure out why two FBI agents would be calling on him, but he got his answer soon after. "We are investigating the murders that have been taking place in this town, so would it be okay if we asked you a few questions?"

"Um - that's fine," Frank shrugged, backing up slightly to show the agents that it was alright if they entered his home, which they did before immediately pausing in the entryway, "but I don't think I can be of any help."

"So you didn't hear anything the other night when your neighbor was killed, maybe you saw someone suspicious lurking around beforehand?" Agent Young asked kindly, his soft demeanor contrasting his partner's harsher tone.

"No - I went to sleep pretty early that night, but I haven't noticed anything out of place around here."

"No new additions to the neighborhood or anything like that?" Agent Angus pressed, his eyes staring at a spot somewhere around Frank's shoulder intensely.

"Nothing like that," Frank reassured them, even though that was a lie since he knew that Gerard had recently moved in, not to mention Brendon and Ryan had popped out of nowhere not too long ago as well, but they weren't killers, and there was no way Frank was going to supply their names to these odd men.

"Hmm..." Agent Angus grunted lowly, taking a few steps to the left without removing his eyes from Frank.

Frank rubbed his neck subconsciously when he realized that the agent was fixated on the large bruise that was still visible there as if he had never seen a hickey before in his life. Frank had almost forgotten about it entirely by now, and although it was fading, the discolored skin was taking a ridiculously long amount of time to completely heal, and Frank didn't like the not so subtle reminder of whatever the fuck had happened to him that night.

"Was there anything else?" Frank snapped when neither of the men spoke, covering the blemish with his hand in the hopes that hiding it would snap the agents out of the odd trance they were in.

"Uh - no, that's all for now," Agent Young answered sheepishly, digging in his pocket for a business card which he then handed to Frank. "If something happens that you think we need to know about, give us a call."

"Will do." Frank plastered on a fake grin as he ushered the agents outside, although he had no plans of doing any such thing. Something just seemed off with the two of them, and if Frank did actually see something, he would dial plain old 9-1-1 instead.

Jamia appeared on the path just as Frank was about to close the door behind the two men, her eyes narrowing as the agents walked by her. Frank waited until Jamia was inside before sighing heavily, his fingers still rubbing at his bruised skin idly as Jamia dropped her bag on the floor, crossing her arms over her chest while fixing Frank with a worried look.

"Who were they?"

"FBI agents apparently, they are investigating the murders, but they seemed more interested in my hickey instead," Frank scoffed, watching out the nearby window to see if the men stopped at any other house, but they continued down the street until they were out of sight, making Frank even more wary about them then he already was, because if they were truly trying to gather information from the neighbors, they should have asked everyone on the block, not just Frank.

"Huh, maybe they have never seen a love mark before?" Jamia mused, apparently losing interest in the topic now that her curiosity had been sated. "I wouldn't mind giving the taller one a hickey or two," Jamia added on, earning herself a soft laugh from Frank in response.

"Why am I not surprised?" Frank chuckled, but it was a well known fact that Jamia had a preference for men with some height, "but instead of talking about them, wouldn't you rather hear about my night with Gerard?" Frank smirked slyly, bracing himself for Jamia's squeal of excitement which pierced the air only seconds later.

"Tell me everything," Jamia demanded, and Frank was more than happy to indulge her, pushing all thoughts of the strange FBI agents to the back of his mind in favor of gushing about Gerard until they had to open the clinic.

~~~

"You saw it too right?" Dean asked as soon as they had turned the corner, his pace increasing now that the veterinarian couldn't see them.

"Yeah, I did, I was just a lot more subtle about looking than you were," Sam remarked snidely, but Dean was too stoked about the fact that they had discovered their first potential lead to care about his brother's rude tone.

"That's a vamp bite, it _has_ to be, which means that punk knows more than he is letting on."

"Maybe...but he could be a victim too Dean. You know that humans don't remember what happens once they are bitten, so maybe he is clueless in all of this too," Sam argued, but his protests sounded weak to Dean, and he had a feeling Sam was simply voicing them to be difficult and not because he actually believed his theory.

"He wasn't being entirely honest, I could tell, and either way, we are definitely staking out his clinic for the next few nights. If he is helping the vamps, we will catch him red handed, and if not, we won't lose anything besides some shut eye."

"You won't hear any complaints from me," Sam nodded eagerly, stopping by their Impala that they had parked a few blocks away. "Even if he is innocent in this, the vamp might return to feed off him again, and he's our best bet at catching whoever is behind all of these killings, although the fact that he's alive doesn't fit with everything else."

"What are you talking about Sammy? Vamps don't always kill, so it isn't that weird."

"You're right, but ours seems to. We thought it was a rogue, but he's too careful to have lost his mind. If we go with the coven theory, it means that the murders are being committed by multiple vamps, and I guess it's possible that the vet happened to have a run in with a friendly one, or maybe they just took a liking to him and decided to keep him as a plaything."

"If it is more than one vamp, we might not be able to take them alone, when did you say that the others will be here?" Dean asked as he slipped into the driver's seat, cranking the radio to his favorite rock station since Sam had been messing with it on the way there.

"A week, two tops. Bobby was the only one in the area, but he is gathering everyone he can before he heads down here."

"Good - I have a feeling that we are going to need them."


	26. The Calm Before The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where all of this inspiration has come from, but I'm not going to fight it. I'm just really thrilled to knock out some more of this story now that I'm getting to the exciting part.
> 
> Also, while going back and rereading, I realized there is a lot of errors in this book, especially in the earlier chapters, so I am slowly going through it and trying to fix them when I have time. My writing style has changed a lot since I started this book, so I am doing my best to make it flow better and fix some plot holes I have found. If anyone has recently started reading this, I'm only on chapter nine atm, so if it seems to shift tones and qualities somewhere in the middle, it's because I haven't touched up that part yet.

Gerard snuggled into Frank's side with a sigh of contentment, subtly inhaling the unique scent of his skin that Gerard would never get enough of. Frank leaned into Gerard's touch gratefully, his entire body going pliant as he relaxed against the couch, smothering Gerard with his smaller frame. Having Frank so close to him caused Gerard's stomach to cramp slightly with faint hunger pains, but he had fed just three days ago, so it was easy to resist the temptation to taste Frank's blood again.

Over the past two weeks, Gerard had spent almost every night with Frank, which probably wasn't the best idea given the fact that he was trying to keep their relationship a secret, but whenever Gerard went more than a day without seeing him, his lungs started to tighten until it reached the point that Gerard couldn't remember how to take a normal breath, and he wouldn't be able to inhale regularly until Frank was in his arms again.

No one had seemed to notice his large amount of absences though, and Gerard made sure to appear at Quinn's regularly, as well as to be seen around the coven before disappearing for the night. His nightmares had dried up almost entirely, which was most likely due to how often he was seeing Frank, so he didn't have much to discuss with the other vampire during their sessions, but he still stopped by just in case Quinn had discovered something that might be helpful to him, which he hadn't so far.

Mikey and Ray successfully kept up appearances when he was gone, and even Brendon and Ryan created alibis for him whenever someone asked. It helped that Bert and Lindsey seemed to be out and about more often than not as well, and although Gerard was curious about where they went, he was too nervous to ask them. Brendon speculated that they were gathering goods and seeking out safe places to feed, but he hadn't sounded too sure of his answer.

Brendon and Ryan had begun joining Gerard on his visits to Frank's place when it was safe for all of them to leave, stating that they wanted to see Frank as well as the small white dog they had apparently found and left in Frank's care. Gerard quickly earned the two vampires stamp of approval regarding his courtship of Frank, and they were no longer fearful that Gerard would hurt him, which he wouldn't - he would _die_ before he let that happen.

Gerard had passed the two of them off as neighbors he had recently met, and although Frank gave them a strange look when Gerard had finished his shoddy explanation, he didn't question it further, which Gerard was very thankful for since it was getting harder and harder to lie to Frank.

Gerard had managed to keep all of his stories straight so far, even when Frank had inquired about his cat which Gerard had forgotten making up. That had thrown Gerard off for a bit, but luckily he saved face by stating that the cat had run away when Mikey left the door open, and they were still searching for him at the moment, which earned him a gentle embrace and murmured apologies from Frank which Gerard guilty accepted.

The one thing Gerard was terrified about Frank catching onto seemed to slip Frank's notice though, which was the fact that Gerard never went out when the sun was up, but Frank was busy running his clinic during the day, so he rarely contacted Gerard until late afternoon, and with winter settling over the small town, nightfall came quicker than usual, allowing Gerard to risk showing his face early enough to avoid arousing any suspicion on Frank's end.

Even when Gerard couldn't get away for the evening, he and Frank stayed in constant contact due to Gerard's new cell phone, which helped Gerard stay sane. Frank's voice soothed his restlessness when he thought his skin would split open if he wasn't able to see Frank, and although Brendon had warned him about not scaring Frank off by being too needy, Frank seemed to miss Gerard just as much as he did when they were apart, and he usually fell asleep on the line with him instead of hanging up since he didn't want their conversation to end.

Gerard had snuck away today to see Frank again, although he did have to return to the coven later to attended Mikey and Ray's mating ceremony, but that was one of the perks of being mated to a human - they fell asleep decently early, so Gerard would have plenty of time to make it back before the proceedings started.

Frank had been waiting for him at the back door, which he instructed Gerard to use now instead of the front entrance. Frank had a small sliding screen installed in his fence to allow people to come in and out after he had noticed the hole there which was brought to his attention when one of his dogs had attempted to escape out of it. Gerard had to bite back the apology on the tip of his tongue when Frank had told him what had happened, because of course Frank didn't know that Gerard had been the one to make it in the first place on the night they had met, but he still felt bad for damaging his property, even if it had been necessary to his survival at the time.

The reason behind Frank's insistence that Gerard use this new entrance instead of the more typical one was caused by the black car that always seemed to show up outside of Frank's house late at night. Frank had told Gerard that he thought they were some FBI agents who were staking out the serial killer that was still on the loose, also mentioning that they had made him uncomfortable when they had interviewed him, which was why he didn't want them to be aware of his coming and goings, but Gerard knew they were the Winchester brothers after catching a glimpse of their faces on his way home, so he made sure to avoid them at all costs.

Gerard wasn't clear on if the hunters had managed to track him to Frank's place, or if their presence on this street was simply random coincidence, but either way, Gerard wasn't going to take any chances with his or Frank's safety, so he did everything he could to remain hidden from the hunters, hell would break out if they spotted him, and he refused to allow Frank to be caught in the crossfire.

The Winchester's vehicle had been absent this evening though, allowing Gerard to focus entirely on Frank without any thoughts of the dangerous men who could easily ruin everything for him if they found him getting in the way. Gerard had taken Frank to a small diner that was apparently one of his favorites earlier on, spending the rest of his cash on the meal in the process even though Frank had fought him for the check, but now they were back inside of Frank's house, snuggled together on the couch with full stomachs and warm hearts.

Per Brendon and Ryan's advice, Gerard had been forcing himself to wait before making anything official between the two of them, but his patience had reached its end today, and Gerard could feel the words bubbling at the back of his throat, pushing forward onto his tongue despite his best effort at containing them.

Gerard reasoned that now seemed as good a time as any to ask Frank to be his; they had been on quite a few dates, and Frank obviously cared about him, so Gerard decided to bite the bullet and take his chances, praying that Frank would react positively to his request.

"Frank," Gerard murmured lowly, bringing Frank's head up from its previous position cradled into Gerard's neck by gently placing two fingers underneath his chin.

Gerard paused when Frank's hazel eyes met his, his breath catching as Frank gazed up at him adoringly. Gerard was overcome with a sudden rush of love for his mate in that moment, and he was sure it would have brought him to his knees if he wasn't already sitting down.

"Is everything okay?" Frank asked worriedly when Gerard failed to say anything else, his nails digging into Gerard's sides as he pushed himself into a more upright position, a look of consternation pulling his features down as he waited for Gerard to continue speaking.

"Yes - I just... _fuck_ Frank," Gerard groaned, unsure of how to voice the question now that the moment had arrived. "You know you mean a hell of a lot to me right?"

"Yes," Frank giggled shyly, his cheeks tinting red as his posture unwound instantly. "You mean a lot to me too."

"Well...I was thinking, and I'm sorry if I'm not doing this right, I've never gotten this close to someone so fast before, but I - do you want to maybe be my boyfriend?" Gerard spat out all at once, his heart seizing in his chest as Frank's mouth fell open and his pupils dilated slightly.

Even before Frank's lips began moving with his answer, Gerard knew what it would be. He could feel the resurgence of Frank's adoration for him pulsing through their bond, although it never went away entirely, but it was stronger this time, heavy and glittering in nature, surrounding Gerard in a protective aura that he never wanted to leave.

" _Yes_ \- of course I do, I was actually going to ask you myself pretty soon here if you didn't do it," Frank chuckled gleefully, his irises sparkling with joy as he spoke. "I've never met anyone like you before, and I would be honored to be your boyfriend."

"Oh thank fuck," Gerard exhaled in relief, the last niggling fears that had been eating away at him evaporating once Frank's words hit the open air, and before Gerard could say anything else - like how much he loved Frank, he pressed their lips together in a heated kiss, their teeth clashing slightly as Frank immediately reciprocated his actions.

Frank gasped into Gerard's mouth as he pushed him back down onto the cushions, bracketing his smaller frame with his own as they continued to kiss heavily. Frank's legs wrapped around Gerard's waist when he slipped his tongue past his parted lips, licking over his teeth hungrily in an attempt to receive as much of Frank's intoxicating taste as he could.

"Gerard," Frank whined when Gerard pulled away slightly to allow Frank a chance to breathe, pressing his forehead against Frank's gently as he did his best to contain his more animalistic side that wanted Frank in any way he could have him.

"Yeah?" Gerard asked shakily, his voice emitting in a choked fashion that was most likely caused by the conglomeration of emotions he was currently experiencing. Frank was _his_ now - maybe not officially his mate, but they were together, and that filled Gerard with a primal sense of pride that was enhancing his vampiric nature, and that part of him wanted to claim Frank's body now that he had been graced with the title of his boyfriend.

"I want you," Frank whimpered, his hips twitching forward needily as he spoke, pressing his already hard length against Gerard's heavily almost as if he had read Gerard's mind and had voiced his secret desires aloud.

"Are you sure?" Gerard made himself ask, keeping to his promise of always receiving verbal consent after their first time together which Frank still couldn't remember.

" _Yes_ \- so fucking sure," Frank nodded eagerly, his pupils beginning to dilate widely as Gerard growled low in his throat.

He and Frank had done many things, but they had yet to actually have sex yet. Frank seemed nervous about how his body reacted to Gerard; when he was lost in the moment, he would often beg Gerard to fuck him, but when they would get close to initiating the act, Gerard would sense Frank's tendrils of fear creeping through their bond, and when he would question Frank, he typically changed his mind, asking for a blowjob or something else instead, which Gerard was more than happy to provide him with, even though he was dying to feel Frank's muscles constricting around him once more.

Gerard had asked Brendon and Ryan what they thought of Frank's strange reluctance regarding sex, because Gerard didn't understand it at all, even though gathering the courage to talk about something so intimate with them had been a struggle. The two vampires always seemed to understand what was going on with Frank better than Gerard did in instances like these, and although Gerard was worried that one day they would fail to help him, they of course had a perfect answer.

Ryan believed that Frank wasn't actually scared of being with Gerard, but more what Gerard would think of him afterward. He explained that most humans had odd views regarding when it was appropriate to go all the way, and he guessed that Frank didn't want to come off as too easy before they were officially together.

Now that Gerard was aware of what was causing Frank's hesitance, he did his best to respect Frank's boundaries even more than he had previously. Frank seemed to become affected with unnatural bouts of lust around Gerard just like another vampire would if they were near their mate, and Gerard knew it was hard for Frank to think clearly when they happened, so he made sure everything that occurred between them was okay with the younger man, ignoring his own desires in an effort to make Frank feel safe whenever he was with him.

But now Frank was asking for Gerard, and he didn't seem unsure, in fact - the bond he shared with Gerard was practically _pulsating_ with need. Maybe it was because Gerard had cemented things with a title, or maybe Frank was tired of fighting the pull drawing them to each other, but whatever the case was, Gerard could tell that Frank was serious this time.

"Okay - let's go to your room." Gerard stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving Frank's as he searched for any sign that Frank was going to change his mind, but as soon as Gerard removed his weight from Frank, the younger man jumped off of the couch before grabbing Gerard's hand and all but dragging him up the stairs.

"Come here," Frank whined when Gerard stayed a few steps behind Frank, grabbing onto his shirt collar and mashing their mouths back together so roughly it almost hurt, but Gerard loved the fact that Frank had thrown all of his inhibitions out of the window, so he didn't try to slow his frantic movements at all.

Gerard ran his hands up Frank's ribs, slipping his fingers underneath the fabric covering his chest so he could feel Frank's skin against his palms. Frank was borderline vibrating under Gerard's touch, and when Gerard moved higher, brushing his thumb over Frank's peaked nipples, Frank's knees buckled momentarily.

"Have I told you how fucking perfect you are?" Gerard gasped when Frank threw his head back, moaning loudly as Gerard continued to massage the sensitive buds roughly.

"Probably, but it's always nice to hear," Frank whimpered softly, his hands scrabbling at the hem of his shirt, inspiring Gerard to release his hold on Frank so he could pull it over his head quickly.

Gerard had to bite down on his bottom lip harshly when Frank turned toward him, his mussed up hair and glazed over eyes were almost too much for Gerard to handle, and that coupled with the barrage of sensations that were flowing through their bond had Gerard more turned on than he had ever been in his life, even his feeding induced fits of lust didn't hold a candle to the flame of passion Frank was invoking in him.

"You're so beautiful," Gerard whispered, a bout of tenderness sweeping through him as he cupped Frank's cheeks softly, bringing their lips together in a gentler melding that still retained all of its passion.

"Want you now," Frank muttered against Gerard's mouth, his fingers fumbling with his pants as Gerard nodded as much as he could without disconnecting himself from Frank.

When Frank's jeans fell around his ankles along with his boxers, Gerard wrapped his arms around Frank's now naked torso, dropping them both down onto the nearby mattress with a soft thump. Frank instantly turned on his side, pawing through the top drawer of his bedside dresser before emerging with a condom and a bottle of lube.

Gerard took the items when Frank handed them to him, doing his best not to become too distracted by Frank's inked skin while he slicked up two of his fingers liberally. Frank was a living, breathing work of art, and although Gerard had been given many chances to admire the ink that stained his skin, he never got tired of gazing at the elaborate designs whenever they were on display.

"Are you ready?" Gerard asked, earning himself an impatient huff from Frank as he spread his legs wide in the way of an invitation.

"Yes, but you are still wearing way too many clothes."

Gerard chuckled when he realized that _yes_ \- he was indeed still fully dressed, but he had been so caught up in Frank that he hadn't bothered to shed any of his own garments. Moving awkwardly since one of his hands was now coated in lube, Gerard managed to remove his shirt, but he decided to leave his pants on until he had finished prepping Frank.

"Better?" Gerard raised one eyebrow in a teasing fashion, to which Frank responded with a wide grin.

"Much, now please hurry up."

"I'm getting there," Gerard sighed in a show of fake irritation, but he did press his fingers against Frank's quivering entrance, stroking the tight ring of muscles until Frank's thighs were shaking violently.

"Since when did you become such a tease?" Frank scoffed, tilting his hips backward in an attempt to push down onto Gerard's hand.

"I like seeing you like this - all needy and desperate," Gerard retorted, a grin stretching at his lips when Frank groaned loudly in frustration.

As Gerard finally pushed two fingers into Frank's entrance, he found himself marveling at the banter between the two of them. In the past, he would never have let a human speak to him that way, but Frank wasn't just anyone - he was his _mate_ , and that changed everything.

Frank cried out as Gerard flexed his digits widely, pushing the pads against Frank's prostate the entire time, the location of which he had long ago memorized. Gerard could read Frank's body like a book now, which meant that he knew exactly how to drive him insane and where his most sensitive spots were.

" _Fuck_ ," Frank cursed weakly after a few minutes had passed, his spine arching off of the bed as a deep flush stained his chest. "I'm ready."

Gerard's throat felt too tight to reply to Frank's demand, so he didn't try to speak, instead, he removed his fingers quickly, smirking to himself when Frank whimpered softly at the loss. Gerard wiped his fingers hastily on the sheet before removing his pants, groaning under his breath once his cock was finally free from the constricting fabric.

Gerard struggled for a bit with the condom, he was not used to the odd device since vampires can't contract any diseases through sex, but it was simple enough to figure out once he had gotten the package open. Gerard groaned harshly as he spread a thick layer of lube across his length, his cock already aching just from watching Frank moan and writhe under the assault of his fingers.

"You're sure about this?" Gerard queried one last time after he had positioned himself in between Frank's legs, even though it would physically pain him to stop now, but he would do it if Frank asked him to.

"I am - _fuck me_ ," Frank begged desperately, giving Gerard the permission he needed to continue forward free of all guilt.

Gerard leaned down to kiss Frank again as he began to inch his way inside of him, taking it slow despite his instincts which were screaming at him to push into Frank as fast as possible. Frank moaned into Gerard's mouth as he filled him up, and Gerard didn't feel any smatterings of pain in their bond, so he kept going until his hips were flush with Frank's ass.

"Feels so good," Frank shuddered softly, his eyes falling shut as Gerard pulled out a few inches before pushing back in at a slightly faster pace. " _Oh_ _god_ \- harder."

"Fuck sugar, you're so tight," Gerard growled, his release coiling higher already as Frank's muscles fluttered constantly around him. "So fucking perfect."

" _Shit_ \- right there," Frank cried when Gerard changed his angle slightly, "don't stop."

"I won't," Gerard promised, one of his hands lacing with Frank's as he brought their lips together once more, increasing his pace with every passing moment.

Gerard had never felt so connected to another person in his entire life, every inch of their bodies were touching; Frank's thighs were clamped around Gerard's waist, their sweat slick torsos and leaking cocks rubbing together with Gerard's constant motion, their fingers intertwined the entire time, and even though Gerard didn't think he would ever use the term, he knew he and Frank were _making love_ , not just fucking.

"Gerard - I'm close," Frank warned him, not that Gerard couldn't already tell by Frank's hitched breathing and the constant stream of precome leaking from his cock.

"Me too," Gerard admitted, although he had never approached a climax so quickly, but this was also unlike any other sex he had participated in before, and the self-control he usually prided himself on had been thrown out of the window completely where Frank was concerned. "Wanna feel you come around my cock."

When Gerard wrapped his free hand around Frank's length, Frank shouted hoarsely, his hips twitching forward into Gerard's fist before pushing back onto his cock. Gerard shoved himself into Frank harder, making sure to hit his prostate dead on each time. Frank was rapidly growing tighter around him, and just when Gerard was sure he was going to snap before Frank did, Frank shattered.

Hot come shot across Gerard's knuckles and Frank's stomach as Frank came heavily, a broken moan tearing its way out of his mouth as his muscles trembled and his neck fell backward. Gerard couldn't help but lean forward and mouth at Frank's pulse point, the steady thrum against his tongue sending Gerard over the edge as well, his motions stilling as he buried himself as deep inside of Frank as he could get, his heart beating out of his chest as his orgasm ripped through him, leaving him dizzy, and overwhelmed, and in awe of how special sex was with Frank.

Gerard pulled out once he was empty, removing the condom and tossing it into the nearby bin before grabbing a random shirt from the floor with which to wipe Frank off with. Frank hummed happily as Gerard cleaned off his skin, instantly latching onto Gerard when he was done, pulling him against his side before tugging a blanket over their naked bodies.

"That was amazing," Frank groaned, snuggling closer to Gerard as Gerard encircled him with his arms, their foreheads touching lightly as they repositioned themselves.

"Best sex of my life, hands down," Gerard agreed, his body still tingling slightly from the aftershocks of his intense orgasm.

"You are just saying that," Frank blushed heavily, burying his face in Gerard's neck to hide the telltale color from Gerard.

"Actually I'm _not_ \- you are my best everything if I'm being honest," Gerard answered truthfully, not knowing how else to make Frank believe him, but even if he didn't, Gerard would prove it to him eventually.

"You are my boyfriend now," Frank giggled tiredly after a few minutes of silence, nudging Gerard's nose with his own in an adorable fashion that had Gerard leaning in to steal a quick kiss.

"I am," Gerard grinned proudly, loving the way their bond swelled with happiness at his answer.

Gerard wished that Frank could experience this melding of emotions someday soon, and maybe he would. They had already bypassed a major hurdle in their relationship, and hopefully Frank would eventually trust Gerard enough to look past the fact that he was a vampire and want to be joined with him in every way possible.

~~~

" _No_ \- why can't you get this right?" Pete's mother shouted harshly, sending Pete cringing away from her when he failed for the hundredth time at shattering the vase on the table in front him.

"I'm sorry," Pete apologized desperately, avoiding his mother's wild eyes in favor of staring down at his hands instead. "I'm _trying_ , but I can't control it."

"The ceremony is happening tonight Pete, how are you ever going to impressive Mikey if you can't perform on command?"

"I'm doing my best, but it only seems to work when I'm upset or angry," Pete whispered, even though he had already explained this to his mother before.

"Well you should be _furious_ \- your mate is going to promise himself to another if you don't prove your worth to him, how are you not seething right now?" Pete's mother spat harshly, a faint line of spittle spraying from her cracked lips as she slammed her fist down on the table sharply, almost sending the vase tumbling to the floor in the process.

"I am, but I don't even understand how this is supposed to work? Mikey loves Ray - _not_ me, and showing him my powers isn't going to change that," Pete sighed, a heavy cloak woven of defeat settling around his shoulders as his words hit the open air.

"Because it will prove your superior bloodline - only the oldest vampires possess abilities likes yours, and those qualities are very attractive to others. You are underestimating yourself my son."

"I really don't think Mikey will care what I can do, not when he already has a mate," Pete mumbled sullenly, tears clogging his throat now that he had come to the conclusion that he had well and truly lost Mikey, not that he was ever his in the first place, but the realization still hurt.

This idea was doomed to fail from the start anyway; Mikey wasn't going to be swayed by a show of force or strength, why would he when he had Ray? Pete might not like the other vampire, but after observing him and Mikey for the past two weeks, it was obvious that he made Mikey happy, and Pete didn't want to take that away from Mikey, even if he knew he could smother Mikey with love if he was given the chance.

"So you are just going to roll over and let someone else steal your mate?" his mother scoffed, disgust dripping from her tone as she shot Pete a scathing look.

"Maybe I am - it doesn't matter anyway. He'll never want me, and I don't want to do this anymore. I didn't ask for these powers, and I am so tired of all of this, so just let it go," Pete shouted, startling himself with the vehemence in his tone, but he meant what he had said, so he refused to take it back.

"Fine then, but don't come running to me with your tail between your legs once they share blood and Mikey is lost to you forever," Pete's mother sniffed haughtily, tugging her weathered shawl tightly around her shoulders like a shield with which to protect herself from Pete's words.

"I won't, and for all I know, they probably already have bitten each other," Pete retorted bitterly, even though the thought of Mikey partaking in such an intimate act with someone that wasn't him literally had his stomach roiling violently.

"That would be breaking tradition," his mother argued, her spine stiffening as Pete threw his hands up in frustration.

"Things aren't the same as they were when you were born Mother - people don't follow every silly rule put in place by the coven, powers don't carry any significance anymore, the world is a different place now."

"Your attitude is appalling Pete, so either put your mind to the task at hand or leave, but remember, I am only trying to help you," his mother cooed in what was supposed to be a sweet tone, but her cloying attitude only served to unleash the fury that Pete hadn't been able to tap into until just now.

"You want me to break the vase - _fine_ ," Pete cried, sending the object flying across the room with barely a glance, "but I'm done with this, and after today, I'm never going to use my powers again. I'm don't want to ruin Mikey's ceremony, _hell_ \- I might not even go, so thanks for nothing Mother," Pete yelled, overturning his chair as he stood up suddenly, ignoring his mother's protests and insincere apologies as he stormed out of her home without looking back.

As Pete made the trek to his house, he passed by the pavilion which would be the site of Mikey's ceremony in a few short hours, and despite his earlier words to his mother, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from attending, but not to show off his abilities, but because Mikey had asked him to be there, and he would do anything for his mate, even suffer through what was sure to be the most painful event of his short life, but first, he needed to lock himself in his room so he could finally unleash the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes at any moment.

~~~

Lindsey paused in her night time wanderings, the familiar aura of another vampire in the area stopping her in her tracks as she tried to discover where the sensation was coming from.

Lindsey didn't see anyone in the immediate vicinity, but she kept searching, desperate to unearth whoever it was in case they were in need of some assistance. If her mind wasn't playing tricks on her, and there was truly another vampire nearby, this could mean that Lindsey's plan was beginning to work, and that others of her kind were flooding to the city after seeing the reports of the killings on the news.

Lindsey knew what she was doing was risky, but in her head, it was the only course of action left to her. Before her coven was destroyed, she hadn't considered herself a violent person, and although she had always disliked humans, she never went out of her way to murder them, not even the ones she fed from.

But now that was exactly what Lindsey was doing, spending the majority of her free time scoping out the streets of Belleville when she wasn't otherwise occupied by whatever pointless tasks Bert concocted for her, preying upon the pathetic humans that needed to be reminded that vampires were indeed real, and that they should be feared and respected, not used in terrible movies or hunted down.

And even though Lindsey enjoyed the heady power rush that came each time she watched the life drain from another worthless human's eyes, that wasn't the only reason she was doing this. She hoped that if word of a serial killer that left their victim drained of blood with bite marks in their neck spread, not only would humans begin to believe in vampires again, but the others of her kind who were lost and adrift would realize that there was a coven here, inspiring them to head to Belleville in search of a safe haven.

That hadn't happened yet; Lindsey had thought Mikey had found them through her actions, but apparently he had already heard rumors of this coven beforehand, so she couldn't take credit for the three new arrivals, but Lindsey knew her work had gained quite a bit of media coverage, not to mention bringing in a pair of hunters as well. Lindsey wasn't worried about them though, she was filled with an excess of blood from so many feelings, and with the heady surge of vitality flowing through her veins, Lindsey was certain that she could kill them easily if they happened to cross paths.

But now there was another vampire nearby, which might mean that Lindsey's goal had been achieved after all if it didn't turn out to be someone from the coven who had snuck out for the night. She knew Brendon and Ryan were prone to taking jaunts occasionally, but she had spent enough time with them to be able to recognize their particular auras, and it wasn't either of them.

Creeping closer to the wire fence on her left, Lindsey peered across the large yard, faintly making out two figures standing underneath a porch light, her brain buzzing in the way that could only mean she was basically on top of whoever she was searching for.

Even though the distance separating them was great, Lindsey's sharp senses could pick out that the taller male was indeed a vampire, but the other seemed to be human, and when they began kissing slowly, Lindsey literally saw red, the soft sound of their lips smacking together buzzing in her ears as she watched one of her kind betray them in the worst of ways.

Lindsey darted around a corner when the vampire finally disconnected from the human he had for some despicable reason decided to shower with affection, keeping herself hidden as the man exited the yard through a small gate set into the side, and when he paused for a moment to wave farewell to his companion, Lindsey caught a good glimpse of his face, her breath catching in her throat when she recognized the dark haired new arrival that had only recently joined their coven - it was _Gerard_ , there was no doubt about it.

Lindsey didn't want to accept that the beaten down, starved vampire that had come to them for help would stoop as low as this, but it was obvious that he was fraternizing with a human, there was no other explanation. Maybe spending so much time away from others of his kind had made him soft, but whatever the case was, he was now a traitor in Lindsey's mind, and he would have to be dealt with accordingly.

Gerard was a disgrace to the vampire race, and Lindsey knew he had to be taught a lesson if he was ever going to learn the errors of his ways. She could always tell Bert - he would instantly excommunicate him if he was aware of Gerard's transgressions, but Lindsey didn't want to involve the coven leader in this - _no_ , she had a much better idea of how to deal with Gerard as well as further her plan in the process, and this was something that she would have to do alone.


	27. Watching Perfection Devolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been at least three months since I've touched this I'm so sorry idk why I'm like this.
> 
> I've finished Biblical now though and my next goal is to complete this story. Idk how well that will work out, but we're getting there slowly but surely.

Gerard hummed quietly to himself while changing into the only nice pair of clothes he owned, the joyous mood that always followed him home after being with Frank permeating throughout his body as he buttoned up his shirt quickly.

Gerard still couldn't believe how perfect Frank was, his humanity didn't matter at all to Gerard anymore, and now that Gerard knew they could mate in spite of their different races, he almost preferred Frank that way, although it would be much more convenient if he was a vampire and lived in the coven so Gerard could see him whenever he pleased, but he wasn't going to complain, not when things were going so well.

Gerard was still doing his best to process the events of his evening with Frank, and he couldn't stop marveling over the fact that Frank was _his_ now. Gerard was practically vibrating with joy even though hours had passed since they had made thing official, leaving him to wonder how ecstatic he was going to be when and if Frank agreed to become his mate.

Gerard wasn't sure how they were going to reach that point, but he allowed himself to hope that things would go as smoothly for them as they had for William and Gabe. Frank cared for Gerard, that much was obvious, and Gerard had faith that his feelings and their strong connection would be enough to convince him to stay with him even after he discovered that he wasn't human.

They still had time though, and Gerard was in no hurry. He didn't want to push Frank too hard in fear of scaring him away, and Gerard assumed that he would know when the right moment to reveal his vampiric nature would be, so until then, he was more than content with what they had now.

Gerard reluctantly forced himself out of his thoughts so he could check the clock hanging on the wall to his left, not wanting to be late for Mikey and Ray's ceremony because of his musings. Luckily for him he still had about an hour until it started. Mikey and Ray were already there setting everything up, and Gerard had planned on arriving early so he could get a good seat and also congratulate his brother one last time beforehand. If he left now, he should be able to get some alone time with the couple before the proceedings began.

Gerard was in the process of tying his shoes when a sharp knock rang out through the still air, his precise movements interrupted by the loud noise. Gerard tilted his head to the left curiously, knowing that it couldn't be Mikey or Ray, they would have simply walked in, and he couldn't think of anyone else who would be paying him a visit unless Quinn had discovered something about his condition that was so important that he couldn't wait to tell Gerard about it when he stopped by tomorrow.

But when Gerard made his way into the front room and pulled open the door, it wasn't Quinn standing before him, but Lindsey. She was dressed in an elegant black dress that was much more formal than her usual day to day wear, leading Gerard to assume that she had been on her way to Mikey and Ray's ceremony just like he was, but that didn't explain her presence here.

"Hey Lindsey, did you need something?" Gerard asked when the other vampire remained silent, her lips set into a firm line that had Gerard instantly on edge.

Gerard gasped quietly when Lindsey effortlessly pushed her way past him, kicking the door closed with her high heeled shoe before turning to face Gerard, a threatening aura emanating off of her that had Gerard paralyzed with a sudden bout of fear.

"What's wrong?" Gerard managed to choke out, his brain supplying hundreds of scenarios involving Mikey somehow getting hurt to their welcome in the coven being revoked for one reason or another.

"I saw you earlier," Lindsey finally spoke, her eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms sternly over her chest.

"Y-you what?" Gerard stammered weakly, his lungs seizing in his chest when he recalled exactly where he had been a few hours ago.

"Don't even think about playing dumb with me, it won't work," Lindsey snapped. Her tone reeked of disgust and dismay, and even though Gerard knew admitting to anything would be one of the worst things he could do right now, he couldn't help but to cower away from the furious woman, his spine arching inward when it hit the wall behind him.

"I was here, I've been here," Gerard did his best to lie, forcing his voice to stay steady even though his entire body was trembling with fear.

"No - you weren't, you were with a human, and I don't think I need to explain to you why that sort of behavior is not only deplorable, but also forbidden as long as you are under our roof."

"I -" Gerard tried to defend himself, but he was cut off by Lindsey slamming her hands together roughly, causing his mouth to snap shut so sharply that his teeth clattered together painfully.

"This is your only warning Gerard, and I shouldn't even be giving you that. I have grown fond of you though, but if I ever find out that you have been back to see that human again, I will make sure you are excommunicated and that your human lover learns to never associate with vampires again."

"Lindsey - _please_ ," Gerard begged, giving up his pretense of innocence when he saw that it would be of no help to him, "you don't understand. He's my mate - I _love_ him. I don't know how it happened, but I met him before I knew of the coven, and I swear that he doesn't know about us, or what I am."

"I don't care Gerard," Lindsey huffed coldly, her irises laced with ice as she stared at Gerard's slumped frame haughtily, "in fact, I'm shocked that you can even stand to be near him after what you've suffered through. I assumed that you of all people would understand how evil humans are, how selfish and cruel, but now you say you love one - that you've mated with one?"

"I do - he's different than the rest, I promise," Gerard whimpered, his eyes welling with tears that he refused to shed in front of the other vampire.

"You're sick Gerard," Lindsey scoffed, his words obviously doing nothing to sway her opinion. "Maybe it is something to do with your dreams, but whatever the case is, you are mistaken. You need to remember where your loyalties lie quickly before I have to take matters into my own hands, and I can promise that you won't like how I choose to deal with such foolishness, it won't end well for you or the stupid human you are so smitten with."

"Okay," Gerard answered meekly, all of the fight draining out of him like water through a sieve. Gerard ached to continue defending Frank, but it would be a waste of breath. Lindsey was set in her beliefs, so if he wanted to keep Frank safe, faking compliance was the best route to take. "I won't see him again, I promise, but please don't hurt him, he hasn't done anything wrong."

"If you keep your word, then you have nothing to worry about," Lindsey sniffed, her gaze seeming to pierce through Gerard's skin, searching for insincerity in his words, but after a few moments that felt like years to Gerard, Lindsey appeared to be satisfied. "I'll see you at the ceremony then."

Gerard didn't respond - he _couldn't_ , not without breaking down completely. He simply watched as Lindsey stalked out of his house quickly, his eyes burning and his stomach roiling as the door closed behind her with a soft click.

Once Gerard was sure that Lindsey was out of earshot, he sunk down to the floor heavily, his knees too weak to support him anymore. Gerard tried to take a deep breath, hoping to calm himself with the intake of oxygen, but the air got caught in his tight throat, and before Gerard could stop himself, he was sobbing uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking as he curled in around his knees, trying to keep himself from shattering with terrible results.

This couldn't be happening - it just wasn't fair, how could things go so well and devolve into this mess all in one night? Gerard couldn't handle this sudden shift in his emotions, he felt like he was being torn in two, with one part of him still back in Frank's arms while the other half was whimpering alone on the floor with no one there to comfort him.

Gerard couldn't keep his promise to stay away from Frank though, it would surely kill him, but if he broke his vow and Lindsey found out, she'd retaliate, and even worse than the thought of never seeing Frank again was the idea of placing him in danger by doing so.

This was all Gerard's fault, he should have been smarter about sneaking out, but he had grown complacent, leaving the coven far too often without giving any thought to the other vampires that might be roaming the streets beside himself. Gerard wondered where they had been caught, perhaps at the diner, or on the walk back to Frank's home, but it didn't matter either way, they had been seen, and there was nothing Gerard could do to change that fact.

Gerard needed to think about this rationally, because maybe there was a way around Lindsey's ultimatum, but he couldn't do that now, not with the way his head was spinning and his lungs were seizing to function, so Gerard continued to cry bitterly, his previous happiness becoming buried under the bleak future that now stretched in front of him thanks to his carelessness and Lindsey's hatred of humans.

~~~

Lindsey allowed herself to sigh softly as she turned the corner, her heart weighing heavily in her chest as she tried to ignore the soft crying she could faintly hear emitting from the dwelling she had left Gerard in.

Lindsey didn't want to feel guilty for her actions, because she had done nothing wrong, _in fact_ \- she had been much more lenient with Gerard than she had planned on, probably because of the soft spot in her heart she carried for anyone that had survived the horrors of the purge.

Gerard didn't deserve kindness though, not after the transgressions he had committed. Lindsey understood that Gerard hadn't betrayed any information directly regarding vampires or the coven to the human he seemed so fond of, but he had still committed a crime, even if he didn't see it that way.

Maybe consorting with humans was acceptable to vampires who had been left covenless after the purge, but Gerard had to learn that his actions carried consequences, and that his dalliances would not be allowed under any circumstances.

Lindsey shuddered as she replayed the image of Gerard kissing that human in her mind, trying to steel her resolve so she would be strong enough to continue onward without pity or any other useless emotion holding her back. She had to be unwavering and firm if she was going to return the vampire race to its former glory, and she couldn't make any exceptions.

Lindsey hated the way her throat tightened when she planned her next move, because despite what she had said to Gerard, Frank had to die, regardless of if he knew anything or not. Gerard had placed too much trust in him, that much was obvious, so for Gerard to truly conform to life in the coven, Frank needed to be removed from the equation entirely.

And if Gerard kept to his word, he would never know that his lover had perished. Lindsey wouldn't be able to eliminate him straight away, not with the hunters constantly outside of his home, but she would wait for the perfect opportunity, and when it revealed itself to her, she would add Frank to her ever growing list of victims that were unknowingly sacrificing their lives for a greater cause.

Lindsey didn't necessarily enjoy killing, although lately she had been feeling hunger pains more often than she typically did, which was an excellent motivation to continue with her spree until it drew attention from others of her kind. The humans deserved it though, every one of them, and once they had learned their place, Lindsey would stop this ceaseless violence, but until then, she would press forward with no regrets.

 _Still_ \- a part of Lindsey wished that Gerard didn't have to be hurt by this process. He had been through so much already, and even though Gerard was foolish to ever hold such adoration for a human, Lindsey had experienced firsthand how awful it was to lose someone you cared for. Even if Gerard didn't know what Lindsey had planned, he was obviously miserable already, but that was his own fault, and his sorrow would pass soon enough.

Gerard would move on, he would find someone else - a vampire he could truly love. Lindsey didn't believe that Gerard was mated to this human, the stories she had heard about the phenomena had always rung false with her, and Lindsey was sure this was just a temporary state of confusion. Gerard would understand that in time, and maybe one day he would even thank Lindsey for pointing out the error in his ways and allowing him to find true happiness among his own kind.

~~~

Pete buried his head in his hands with a defeated groan, his temples throbbing steadily, the sensation increasing with each passing second that inevitably would lead to the start of Mikey's mating ceremony with Ray.

Pete had secluded himself away in the gardens, hoping that the solitude he typically found there would help him decide if he should attend what was supposed to be a joyous occasion or if he should stay away entirely, both options carrying their own pros and cons that seemed to morph and change every time Pete attempted to sort through them.

Pete thought he had already reached a conclusion earlier at his mother's place, because he wanted to be there as a bystander, he would support Mikey in anything, even though watching him promise himself to another was going to metaphorically kill him, but now Pete was confused and terrified, and the worst part was, it was himself that he was afraid of.

Pete had sworn not to use his powers ever again, he had no need to. They were destructive and unnecessary, but after his outburst, he couldn't seem to control them. He had already accidentally shattered three rocks with the power of his mind alone, and every time he dwelled on what would be occurring in less than half an hour, a well of anger pulsed inside of him, and the only way to release the turbulent emotions involved using his abilities that he wished he had never discovered.

Pete didn't want anyone to see him this way, because what if he repeated his act with the fruit stand and wrecked another structure by accident? He still wasn't entirely sure how to control what he could do, and if he ended up ruining Mikey's ceremony, he would never forgive himself.

But at the same time, Pete was drawn toward the pavilion by an invisible thread that he couldn't snap. He had to be there, because if he wasn't given viable proof that Mikey could never be his, then Pete would never be able to move on, and he wanted to get over this, although he knew that he wouldn't be able to recover from this loss entirely, but some closure couldn't hurt.

The two opposing sides of his mind were ripping Pete to shreds; he didn't know what to do, and he had very little time to figure out which decision was the right one. If he stayed away, Pete had a feeling that he would regret that choice for the rest of his life, but if he made a scene at Mikey's ceremony, he would never be able to forgive himself, although a small part of him wanted that to happen, that way the proceedings would be delayed, and Mikey wouldn't be mated for that much longer.

Pete wasn't stupid, and he knew that nothing he did would change the fact that Mikey loved Ray and not him, and even if the ceremony never happened, Mikey was still mated to someone else, he and Ray had most likely already shared blood by this point anyway, but as long as things weren't official, the tiny spark of hope that was flickering inside of Pete's chest refused to die, because as minuscule as his chances were, he might still have the opportunity to win Mikey over if he wasn't yet truly mated.

Despite what Pete had told his mother, he secretly ached for a chance to let Mikey know how much he cared for him. He didn't think her plan would work, because Mikey wouldn't care about his powers, in fact, they might frighten him away instead of drawing him closer, but maybe Pete could take a different route and simply explain to Mikey what had happened.

Pete scoffed under his breath when he allowed that scenario to play out in his head, because even in his imagination he couldn't see it ending well. Mikey would be kind of course, but he would simply explain to Pete that he already had his mate, and that he didn't harbor any emotions for Pete - how could he, they had barely spoken at all over the past few weeks.

 _Still_ \- if Pete didn't do it, he would never know what could have happened if he spoke up before it was too late. The odds of anything positive coming out of his confession were ridiculously slim, but was it better to let his feelings fester inside of him for the rest of his life?

Pete didn't know, he was so confused, and in pain, and he just wanted everything to pause for a few minutes so he could work out the knots his mind had tangled itself into, but the world didn't care about his miniature crisis, and it wasn't going to stop for him, no matter how badly he wished for it.

Pete sniffled harshly, wiping his hand across the back of his eyes when they began to water heavily. Mikey's ceremony would be starting soon, and his decision had to be made now or he was sure to miss it. Pete's powers hadn't flared up over the last few minutes, which meant that he could most likely make it through the proceedings without losing control, but he wasn't sure if that was the case - _hell_ , he wasn't sure about anything.

But when Pete allowed himself to consider the alternatives, which involved moping either here in the gardens or his own home alone since everyone else would be attending the ceremony, his heart clenched sharply in his chest, and he realized that he needed to go, he couldn't run from this, because he wouldn't escape the agony he was feeling by putting distance between himself and Mikey. He had been trying to do that from the start, and his affliction had only gotten worse, not better, so facing it head on was the only option left to him.

And maybe the darker side of Pete that had only revealed itself recently wanted to be there as well, because the thought of meekly accepting that Mikey could never be his was appalling to that part of him. That Pete wanted to fight, to scream, to let the whole world know that he had found his mate and he would do anything to be granted the honor of being his, but Pete had become quite good at ignoring the half of him that only showed itself when he was at his worst.

Pete was too miserable to be properly angry now after all, his sorrow was dragging him down as he pulled himself into a standing position, the weight of it causing his shoulders to droop as he started to traverse the short distance to the pavilion where his mate was waiting.

Pete had to do this, he would consider this his final goodbye to Mikey, and then he would stay out of his life forever - _hell_ , maybe he would even leave the coven entirely. There was nothing here for him now that he was about to lose his mate, and perhaps distance would help heal the gaping wound inside of him that Mikey had caused by being unable to return his affections.


	28. Misery Loves Company

Gerard wasn't sure how long he stayed crying on the hard wood floor, his knees tucked up to his chest as if their weight would hold his shattering frame together, but eventually, his tears ebbed and he managed to drag himself to his feet, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he stumbled over to the nearest mirror in an attempt to fix his disheveled appearance.

Gerard carded his fingers through his hair, an aura of numbness permeating his motions as he tucked down the flyaway strands, wiping his thumbs under his eyes once that was done, although his efforts did little to improve his looks.

Gerard didn't care though, in fact - he didn't want to leave his house at all. Standing up had already taken most of his severely depleted store of energy, and Gerard honestly wasn't sure if he could make it through Mikey's ceremony without falling apart, but he didn't really have a choice.

Gerard couldn't miss this, it was important to Mikey, so no matter how heartbroken he was, he had to pull himself together for long enough to fake his way through the proceedings. Gerard would only make himself sick with worry if he stayed here anyway, and maybe seeing Mikey and Ray would be a soothing balm to the painful ache inside of him.

Or maybe it wouldn't - maybe it would only remind Gerard of everything he wished he could one day share with Frank, of his hopes and dreams that were now ripped to shreds, their tattered remains digging into Gerard's mind, the sharp points that had been created with Lindsey's harsh ultimatum making themselves known every time Gerard so much as breathed, the edges shoving deeper into the sensitive tissue now that Gerard was thinking about them again.

Frank... _god_ , Gerard needed him right now, but of course he was the one person that Gerard was forbidden from seeing. Gerard ached to feel Frank pressed against his side, to be able to inhale his intoxicating scent, to bask in the peace and unadulterated joy that only infused through his body whenever Frank was with him.

A few stray tears slipped down Gerard's cheeks when he imagined never being able to experience that again, of living for the numerous years he had left without being graced with Frank's laugh, his smile, their bond - _fuck_ , Gerard couldn't do it, he knew then and there that it would destroy him, but if Gerard broke his word, Lindsey would make sure that they paid the price.

Gerard needed advice, to talk to someone - Mikey most likely, or maybe Brendon, but everyone who knew of his relationship with Frank would be at the mating ceremony right now, and that wasn't an appropriate place to discuss his illegal dalliances, so Gerard would have to wait until later to get what had just occurred with Lindsey off of his chest.

Could Gerard even do that though, because as desperately as he needed help, the thought of ruining his brother's special day made him feel even worse than he already did. Mikey didn't need to be burdened with Gerard's problems, not yet anyway, he should be spending his day basking in his love for Ray, and if Gerard told him that he had gotten himself caught, it would worry Mikey, leaving him occupied with Gerard instead of with Ray like he ought to be.

Gerard wasn't that selfish he decided, and although he knew his brother would most likely be able to think of a way out of Gerard's hopeless situation, it wasn't his burden to bear. Gerard would keep this to himself for now, and maybe in a week or so he would reveal what had happened to Mikey if he wasn't able to come up with a solution on his own.

Now all he had to do was hide his misery from his brother, which would be easier said than done since Gerard had it all but painted across his face, but he was going to do his best to change that, so with a last glance in the mirror, Gerard plastered on a smile, hoping it didn't look as awful as it felt, clearing his mind of all thoughts of Frank and Lindsey as he made his way down to the pavilion to watch his brother and his best friend receive the happy ending that Gerard had been foolish enough to hope that he would one day also be able to have for himself.

~~~

"Ryan, have you seen Pete today?" Brendon asked, attempting to straighten his tie which seemed to have a mind of its own, the knot lying crooked no matter how many times he redid it.

"No, he wasn't at home when I stopped by earlier, but he might be with his mother," Ryan suggested, his eyes sparkling when he noticed Brendon's distress, his long legs crossing the distance separating them before his fingers fixed the stubborn fabric that had been frustrating Brendon for the past ten minutes.

"Maybe I should go look for him...he probably shouldn't be alone right now," Brendon sighed, his heart twisting slightly as he imagined how miserable Pete most likely was at the moment. "Do you think we have time to search for him?"

"We could check the square and most likely still make it before the proceedings start," Ryan nodded slowly as he continued to fuss with Brendon's clothing although it no longer needed any adjustments, "but I think we should leave him be. If he's hiding, it's probably because he doesn't want to attend the ceremony, and seeing us all dressed up could potentially upset him when he realizes where we are headed."

"I just don't want him to think that we don't care about him. He's been so down lately, not that I blame him."

"It's up to you love," Ryan hummed, his arms wrapping around Brendon's waist lightly as he spoke, "if you want, we can walk around and see if we spot him and we can judge his mood from there, but if he desired company, I'm sure he would be over here already if that was the case."

"I wish I could help him," Brendon murmured, slipping on his shoes quickly before straightening back up with a frown, "I can't imagine how awful it would feel if I was in his place."

"I know baby, I can't either honestly, but as much as I hate to say this, you're already doing everything you can by just being there for him. This is something that Pete has to come to terms with on his own, and he knows he has our love and support if he needs anything."

"You're right," Brendon sighed dejectedly, threading his fingers through Ryan's as they made their way to the front door, "maybe we should give him some space for now. I don't want to be late anyway, and if he's not there, we can always go find him afterward."

"Sounds like a plan," Ryan grinned, pulling Brendon in for a quick kiss before they headed outside. "Now don't look so down, this is a celebration, not a funeral, and Pete will be okay in the end, I just know it. He's tough, so he'll pull through this, it will just take some time."

"I hope so."

Brendon wanted to believe Ryan's positive words, but he wasn't so sure that Pete would be able to recover from this. He kept picturing his and Pete's roles being reversed, and he knew that if Ryan hadn't mated with him, his heart would never heal completely.

Brendon didn't want to bring Ryan down though, especially since he was in such a good mood today, so he kept his mouth shut. There was really nothing else he could do for Pete after all, and although he was assaulted by small tendrils of guilt every time Ryan's thumb would brush across the back of his hand, he made the conscious decision to enjoy the rest of his day with his mate and his friends without worrying overly much about Pete.

~~~

After spending fuck knows how long in an internal debate which resulted in him changing his mind every few minutes, Pete eventually made his way into the decorated pavilion just as Mikey's mating ceremony was about to beginning, keeping his head down and his hood pulled up so no one would notice his arrival, making sure to skirt widely around Ryan and Brendon who he could see near the front, because as good as their intentions were, Pete wouldn't be able to bear their pitying gazes in his current state.

Seating himself as far in the back as he could, Pete dared to glance around, keeping his eyes away from the couple standing off to the side of the crowd for as long as possible. As much as Pete wanted to look upon Mikey's gorgeous features, he knew it would only bring him pain instead of joy today, so he focused on his surroundings instead, although it was only a matter of time before he gave in and allowed his gaze to make its way to his mate.

The large area which was often used for coven meetings and other gatherings had been heavily decked out for the mating ceremony. Small strings of lights hung off of the pillars supporting the roof, brightening up the usually dim atmosphere in an imitation of the glow of day that none of them would ever be able to experience firsthand.

A small platform rested at the front with a few steps leading up to a raised stand that Bert and Lindsey were hovering near. Pete could faintly see Ray and Mikey as well, but he was still attempting to ignore their presence, so he took his time examining the rest of the festive adornments instead.

Pete noticed that they had brought out the carved wooden arch that he had last seen when Brendon and Ryan had been officially mated; it was a relic of the coven that had been made long ago and preserved for sacred moments such as these, at least that was what Ryan had told him.

It really was a beautiful structure, and although it was worn down by age, the flowers and leaves cut into it were still visible, and the surface carried a dull gleam as though it had been polished recently. It had been draped in an excessive amount of lights as well, which Pete couldn't recall seeing at the previous mating ceremony. They most likely were a recent acquisition that someone had stumbled across and decided to bring back to the coven during one of their trips to the surface, which Pete thought was a bit silly, but that might have just been his foul mood talking.

Pete swore the twinkling strands were mocking him the longer he looked at them, the bulbs seemed to have transformed into beady eyes from one second to the next, and they knew how miserable Pete was, how _lonely_ , but they didn't care, in fact, they sparkled brightly at him as if his despondent nature was fueling them.

Pete closed his eyes as a sudden rush of pain jolted through his head, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. Pete groaned when he could finally open his lids again only to see that he had accidentally shattered the string of lights closest to him, but the destruction was small and contained at least, and no one else seemed to have heard the smashing of glass or noticed the burnt out section just yet.

Pete let himself stare at Mikey then, not wanting to take out his anger on the innocent light fixtures one again, doing his best to block out the image of Ray at his side, as well as their intertwined hands, and _fuck_ \- Mikey looked gorgeous. He was beaming, his teeth showing through his lips as he scanned the crowd curiously, his slender frame rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he tried to contain his excitement with terrible results.

Pete found an answering grin tugging at his lips as he observed Mikey, even though the expression felt pained and uncomfortable on his stiff face. It hurt to smile, because Pete wasn't happy, but at least Mikey was, and he was trying to pretend that he could learn to live with that.

A hush fell over the gathered vampires when Bert stepped forward suddenly, silencing the surprisingly large crowd that had chosen to attend the mating ceremony. There hadn't been a proper mating ceremony in quite some time though, and most people were still curious about the new arrivals which explained the high attendance rate.

Pete was distracted from what was happening on the podium when a figure darted in front of him, seating themselves on the chair in the adjacent row next to him, which Pete found a bit odd since he was one of the few people who had chosen to sit so far in the back, but it was made even stranger when Pete recognized the man as Mikey's brother Gerard.

Pete hadn't spoken with Gerard much, not that he'd really tried, but he knew from his observations that he and Mikey were very close, leaving Pete confused as to why Gerard had positioned himself at such a wide distance away from his little brother on his special day.

Curious and also wanting to tune out the sorrow that churned in his gut when Bert cleared his throat roughly, signaling the start of the proceedings, Pete scooted forward as much as he could without making his movements too obvious, twisting in his seat until he could get a good glimpse of Gerard's face, and he was shocked by what he saw.

Gerard looked awful for lack of a better word, in fact, Pete wondered if their expressions carried similar casts. Gerard's eyes were dark and clouded, his cheeks red and puffy from recent tears, and if Pete had to guess, he would say that someone had just torn out Gerard's heart and ripped it into pieces while he watched, which was exactly how Pete felt whenever he spied Mikey out of the corner of his eye.

Pete leaned back with a sigh, debating on if he should ask Gerard what was bothering him, but in the end, he decided to stay silent, not feeling up to holding a conversation with another person, especially not someone who would most likely need comforting.

Maybe Gerard was suffering through what Pete was currently experiencing though, it was possible after all. He could have mated with someone in the coven who was already taken, that would explain why Gerard looked so utterly destroyed, and although Pete shouldn't have been happy about that fact, it did make him feel a little less alone.

He might even approach Gerard later, and if his hypothesis was correct, they could mope about together and discuss things that only the two of them could truly understand, that is if Pete didn't follow through with his earlier plan and vacate the coven entirely, which was still a very appealing option. He would miss Brendon and Ryan of course, but they didn't need him here, they had each other, and they would understand his reasons for leaving. This wasn't really his home anyway, that had been New York, and he'd never begin to heal as long as Mikey was in close proximity to him.

Pete was distracted from his thoughts by Bert's voice, which had risen in volume by this point. The ceremony had officially begun now, and as much as it pained Pete to watch, he trained his eyes forward. He had decided to attend this ceremony, so he was going to make it through it, hopefully without crying.

"Welcome my children to this wonderful occasion." Bert smiled down at everyone from his elevated position, pausing for a moment before continuing. "I thank you for bearing witness to the union of two of our newest members Michael and Raymond, and they are both very grateful to share this moment in time with you."

Pete tried his best to concentrate on Bert's words as he continued to drone on, but his tone had turned to white noise in his ears. His mind was churning hotly again at just the mention of Ray's name, his thoughts moving so quickly that Pete didn't have time to process them, leaving him buzzing and on edge as the minutes ticked by rapidly.

Pete wanted to leave now, he regretted ever coming here, it had been a stupid idea in the first place, but he felt as if he was glued to his seat, keeping him trapped in place as Mikey and Ray ascended the podium when Bert motioned for them to do so.

Mikey straightened out his white shirt with shaking hands once he had stopped next to Bert, the small action meaning much more to Pete than it should, because it was so Mikey-like, so endearing, and _fuck_ \- Pete wanted to be the one clasping his fingers to still his movements instead of Ray, he wanted to learn every one of Mikey's quirks and find the right way to react to each one, but that wasn't his place, it never had been, and Pete was finally starting to accept the fact that it never would be.

Pete had only been fooling himself by imagining that there was something he could do or say to make Mikey care for him - _hell_ , he'd be lucky if Mikey even considered him a friend, but that wasn't enough for him, no matter how badly he wished it was, and the realization that Pete should have come to ages ago left him short of breath, the tears he swore not to shed here gathering in the corner of his eyes as he trembled softly under the strain of losing the only person he would ever love.

"With the members of this coven bearing witness to your union, I grant you my blessings and that of the entire vampire race." Bert's voice sliced through Pete's mind, and although Pete hadn't attended many of these ceremonies in his short lifetime, he knew that the proceedings were coming to a close. "Let your love strengthen each other and be a beacon of hope for those of us yet still unmated. Never take for granted the gift you have found in each other, and I wish you both endless years in which to share in your bond."

Pete lost all control of himself when Mikey began tearing up, burying his face in his arm to muffle his harsh sobs. He wasn't strong enough to watch what would happen next anyway, because he knew that Mikey and Ray would now drink for each other's wrists in a public display of their mated status that would prove they were officially joined by blood.

Pete wished he could disappear, or that he had never come here, but he couldn't do either of those things. He needed to regain his composure so he could sneak out before someone took note of his sorrow, but stopping his cries seemed to be an impossible task, and it didn't help that his muscles were weak and unresponsive, leaving him trapped here for the time being.

But alongside his despair, Pete sensed a tendril of white hot fury that pulsed inside of him in time with his heartbeat. That was the vein that Pete tapped into whenever he thought of Ray, or when his mother pushed him too far, and although Pete was well aware that it seemed to be the conduit to his powers, it also contained the strength he so desperately needed right now.

Pete tried to ignore it, he _really_ did, but it was as if the stream of anger had a mind of its own, and before Pete knew what was happening, it had swelled and shifted, the heat of it drying his eyes before it shot down its spine, imbuing Pete with energy, and vitality, but also _hatred_.

Pete was no longer in charge of his own body, that was made apparent when he suddenly jolted to his feet, because no matter how hard Pete tried to make himself leave while he still had the chance, to run as far and as fast as he could until Mikey was a distant memory, nothing happened. Pete stayed fixed in his current position, his gaze trained on Mikey who was now holding his wrist out to Ray while the other man bent his head, his teeth emerging from his gums as he moved toward Mikey's outstretched arm slowly.

Everything went black then as if someone had dropped a heavy curtain over Pete's head, or maybe he had simply closed his eyes, but this darkness felt different, it was suffocating him, its all encompassing nature leaving Pete afraid and lost even though he knew exactly where he was.

A desperate scream filled the air seconds later, followed by a splintering sound that was almost entirely drowned out by the pained shriek. More cries followed the first until Pete's head was a cacophony of raised voices and panicked shouts, but the original exclamation remained the loudest, and although Pete could be mistaken, it sounded like he was the one making it.

Pete attempted to close his mouth so the noise would cease, but he couldn't feel his jaw, he couldn't feel _anything_ in fact, just his head which seemed to be splitting open and an odd dizzying sensation that left him weak and sick whenever he tried to fight against the persona that had taken over him.

After what seemed like hours, the terrifying side of Pete relinquished its hold on him, all of the unruly emotions draining away from him so quickly that Pete didn't have time to regain his equilibrium. His body tumbled to the ground with a harsh thump, his shoulder aching where he had landed on it, but the pain was secondary to the agony in his head and his heart, and Pete was too exhausted to even so much as roll over to take some of his weight off of his damaged limb.

Pete thought he felt someone's hands on him then, but his mind was too frazzled to process if it was real or not. It didn't matter anyway, because Pete was slipping away, and he let himself fall into unconsciousness without a fight, or maybe death.

Pete was fine with either, in fact, he glorified in the numbness that followed when he completely surrendered to the mist that was rapidly obscuring his thoughts, allowing it to drag him down into a world free of Mikey and the pain his presence brought with him.


	29. From Bad To Worse

Gerard arrived at Mikey's ceremony a few minutes after it had started, meaning that he wasn't able to congratulate Mikey beforehand like he had been planning on.

His brother was standing in between Lindsey and Ray when he entered the beautiful pavilion, and Bert had already begun to speak, so Gerard decided to leave him be without trying to catch his attention, slipping away to the back so he wouldn't have to speak with anyone else while he was in such a fragile state.

And although Mikey might be a bit worried since he didn't hear from Gerard before the proceedings, he most likely wouldn't think anything of it, at least Gerard hoped he wouldn't. He had known that Gerard was going to see Frank earlier, so he'd probably assume that Gerard had gotten caught up with his mate, causing him to be late, which Gerard truly wished was the case.

It was probably for the best that he wasn't able to talk to Mikey at the moment anyway, because although he was doing his best to keep his emotions contained, Mikey was especially skilled at reading him, so his facade would most likely have been torn down the moment Mikey laid eyes on him. Gerard could always lie of course, maybe tell Mikey he had experienced another nightmare or that he and Frank had gotten in a fight, but now he didn't have to bother with deceiving his brother, at least not yet.

Gerard resisted the urge to hunch down once he had taken his seat, keeping his spine straight and the fake smile he had plastered on earlier glued to his face, knowing that if he let the expression slip, he wouldn't be able to guide his lips back into the proper position.

His show of happiness was a bit unnecessary given the fact that hardly anyone could see him unless they craned their necks around, but Gerard wanted to at least appear joyous and supportive if Mikey happened to glance in his direction, and maybe if he pretended hard enough, some of his internal agony would begin to ebb away.

So far that plan wasn't working though, quite the opposite was happening actually. Gerard swore he could feel his heart disintegrating even further than it already had as he attempted to enjoy the occasion, because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop picturing himself and Frank in Mikey and Ray's place.

That dream would never become a reality though, Lindsey had destroyed that fantasy for him, not that Gerard ever truly thought that he and Frank could have an official mating ceremony since Frank was not a vampire, but _still_ , even after reading about how William and Gabe had been forced to flee because of their love for each other, he hadn't ever truly thought that it would happen to him.

And what if Frank wasn't willing to give up everything for Gerard like Gabe and done for William, what then? Their bond wasn't nearly as strong as William and Gabe's, they hadn't known each other for years, so odds were that if Gerard proposed that they leave town together, Frank would scoff in his face and tell him that he was crazy.

That was the only way that they could be together though, Gerard couldn't come up with any other solution to their current problem. As long as they both resided near Lindsey and this coven, they could no longer see each other, and Gerard was too afraid of Lindsey to risk meeting at other locations, not to mention that Frank was sure to become suspicious if Gerard continued to insist they spend time at odd places.

But even if by some chance Frank was willing to drop all of his ties to this town and follow Gerard somewhere else, that would inevitably mean that Gerard would have to tell him the truth about his vampiric nature. Frank would notice that Gerard could only travel once the sun went down, or that he occasionally disappeared to feed, and even if Gerard could think up some excuses to fend him off, they would only last for a short time.

When it all came down to it, Gerard was beginning to realize that he would have to tell Frank the truth, either that or cut him out of his life completely and try to move on, which was an impossible task. Their entire future rested on how Frank would react, and his willingness to be with Gerard no matter the costs, and sadly, Gerard didn't think that conversation would turn out in his favor.

He would lose in the end either way, if not Frank, then his home, and potentially his brother as well if Mikey decided to stay with Ray in the coven, which he should. Neither of them deserved to be uprooted again for Gerard, he wouldn't ask that of them, although being separated from the two people who he considered family would be almost as awful as never seeing Frank again.

There was so much at stake, _too much_ really, leaving Gerard feeling hopeless and trapped as he tried to weigh out his options and decide on what path was the right one for him to take. He would do whatever it took to keep Frank in his life, but he wasn't sure if Frank returned that sentiment quite yet, leaving him uneasy about risking everything for someone who might not do the same for him.

Gerard needed more time, but that was one thing that wasn't on his side at the moment. He could do his best to stall though, maybe text Frank and say he had a family emergency which forced him to leave the city for a few days, that way he could stay in the coven and mull over all of this once the initial shock of being discovered had worn off.

Wanting to escape from his dismal thoughts for a short time, Gerard forced himself to pay attention to the proceedings which had apparently been going on for much longer than he had thought while he had been lost in his head. Gerard could vaguely remember attending a few mating ceremonies as a child, but his recollection of them was fuzzy and dim, so he wanted to absorb as much of this as he could while he still had the chance.

Much to his surprise, Gerard found that his features were slowly beginning to transform into a genuine smile as Bert granted Mikey and Ray his blessings, and although his own life was in shambles, seeing Mikey grinning at Ray with pure adoration in his eyes made everything seem bearable for a short moment, reminding Gerard that even if his own happiness had been torn away from him, at least Mikey's wasn't, and if anyone deserved to be properly mated, it was his brother.

Gerard had never thought they'd be here, in a coven, all of them alive and well, it had been too ridiculous of an idea to ponder after the purge. Mikey had never lost hope though, he had kept searching for a home long after Gerard was ready to give up, and this was his reward for his faith.

And although Gerard might not stay here for much longer if his confession to Frank went well, Gerard chose not to dwell on the future, it was shrouded in darkness anyway, but here there was light, and not only from the glittering strands that were strung up everywhere, but coming from Mikey and Ray as well, and even if Gerard might never feel that same radiance pouring from inside of him, at least he could bask in the glow emanating from the two lovers.

Gerard watched avidly as Mikey rolled back his sleeve as the ceremony drew to a close, his ears picking up something that sounded faintly like sobs to his left, but he ignored it. Someone had most likely gotten emotional and was crying, it had happened before when Gerard was younger, so he continued to keep his attention on Mikey as he extended his arm to Ray so he could publicly drink from his blood before he would do the same to his mate.

Gerard wasn't sure what happened then, and even looking back in the future, he could never quite properly organize the events of that evening in his mind, all he could recall was the sounds, the scream that pierced his ears, the horrendously loud shattering of wood, his heart beating so rapidly that he thought it would burst from his chest as what could only be described as pure chaos unfolded before his eyes.

From one moment to the next, mayhem unleashed itself on the peaceful gathering, although what had caused it was unknown, but its effects were violent and sudden.

The carved arch that had been placed over the podium where Mikey and Ray stood shattered as if it had been laced with hidden explosives, sending large splinters flying in every direction. All the light fixtures had been obliterated as well, plunging the once bright pavilion into muted darkness, hiding most of the destruction in wreaths composed of shadows.

Gerard was running before he could comprehend what his body was doing, his legs muscles screaming at him as he darted toward Mikey with all of the speed that he could muster. Empty chairs clattered to the ground as he pushed past them, shoving aside people as well in his desperate need to reach his brother's side to make sure he was alright.

By the time Gerard reached the front of the gathering, his eyes had already mostly adjusted to the recent dimness, his ears were buzzing with the mixture of scared whispers and frightened calls that were emitting from the crowd, but Gerard shut them out, all that mattered was finding Mikey and making sure he was unharmed.

The first person that Gerard saw was Bert, he was leaning against the podium with a shocked expression on his face, his hand shakily wiping away the large amount of blood that was pouring from a nasty gash on his forehead. Lindsey was kneeling next to him, and although Gerard despised her for uncovering his secret and threatening Frank, he took a second to assess her injuries, which seemed to be small and located mostly on her bare arms.

Turning to his right, Gerard finally located his brother who appeared to be surprisingly unscathed - _thank fuck_ for that, but his relief was short lived once he took in the rest of the scene, because Mikey was hunched over Ray, hiding the other man from Gerard's view, but he could tell by the silent tears that were pouring down Mikey's cheeks and the way his shoulders were shaking profusely that something was horribly wrong.

"Mikey?" Gerard asked warily, his body moving slowly as if through a thick fog as he maneuvered himself to his brother's side, "are you okay?"

"Gerard," Mikey all but wailed, turning his sorrow stricken face upward for a brief second, allowing Gerard to see the abject terror projecting from his every feature, "help me," Mikey begged, dragging his brother down next to him with bloodstained hands, his expression desolate and hopeless as Gerard fell heavily to his knees, his gaze locking onto Ray's prone body now that he had a clear path of vision.

Gerard's eyes squeezed shut on their own accord as soon as they landed on Ray, because he didn't want to see this, _fuck_ \- he would do anything to erase this mental image from his mind permanently, but he couldn't, it was seared into his brain already, even after only viewing it for half of a second. His entire being felt as if it were stained with blood although he had yet to touch any - _god_ there was so much blood, and almost all of it was pouring from Ray's neck.

Gerard felt bile welling in his throat as he tried to compose himself, and he resisted the urge to empty his stomach of its contents with a supreme effort of will. Gerard had seen many awful sights over his lifetime, and he wasn't what he would consider sensitive or faint of heart; he had killed before, he had been through the purge, but this was the worst thing Gerard have ever been presented with so far.

Gerard wanted to flee, to grab Mikey and run until the horrors that lay before him were nothing but a distant memory, he ached to turn back the clock, to somehow stop whatever had occurred before it did. Maybe if he had gotten here early like he was supposed to, something might have changed, he would have been given an opportunity to notice the dangers and this fiasco could have been prevented, not that he would have ever expected a decorative structure to be a hazard, but _still_ \- Gerard couldn't handle the visual input his brain was receiving, and his automatic reaction was to remove himself from the situation as quickly as possible.

But that train of thought was pointless, there was no escaping the fact that Ray was hurt - _grievously_ so, even from his brief appraisal Gerard knew that his wounds were mortal. His neck was completely slashed open by the wooden shards that had formed when the arch broke, some splinters were still embedded in his skin although it appeared that Mikey had removed a few of them in the short time it has taken Gerard to reach him. Crimson blood was dripping down his chest at an alarming frequency, and although Mikey had already torn his own wrist open and was pressing the fresh wound to Ray's mouth, it was obvious that he wasn't ingesting any of it, and his body wasn't healing itself quickly enough to seal the gash before it was too late.

Gerard whimpered lowly, his heart stuttering and his mind shutting down as he tried to keep his emotions at bay, pushing away his fear, his shock, his horror at the sight of Ray on the brink of death so he could think rationally. Ray needed him right now, so did Mikey, so for once, he was going to be the strong one instead of the person seeking aid.

" _Fuck_ ," Gerard cursed weakly, his fingers trembling as he copied Mikey's actions, biting into his own arm in a desperate attempt to help Ray replenish some of the blood he was losing at a rapid rate.

It wasn't going to work though, he could tell that already, but he couldn't give up, he wasn't going to lose his best friend on what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, he wasn't going to let his brother suffer through the pain of being without his mate - not if there was anything he could do about it.

"Gee - he's not...it's - I..." Mikey babbled out, sobs breaking up every other word, leaving his sentence to devolve into a mess of incoherent syllables. "I can feel him slipping away, he _can't_..."

"Put pressure on the wound," Gerard ordered, guiding Mikey until he did as he asked, "I'll keep attempting to feed him." Gerard squeezed his free hand around his forearm, increasing the flow of blood before forcing it back over Ray's slack mouth, shuddering every time he felt his friend wheeze for air, his weak breaths hitting Gerard's damaged skin with ever decreasing frequency.

Gerard flinched when he felt another presence join them, his mind briefly processing that Bert was now overlooking the tragic scene. Gerard's first instinct was to curse at him, or maybe to beg for his assistance, he didn't know which one would happen if he opened his mouth, but he was both grateful and angry to see the coven leader.

Bert's reaction speed had seemed inordinately slow to Gerard, although he had no idea how much time had actually passed since the arch had been destroyed, it felt like hours, but by the way the crowd was only just now starting to truly panic, it might have only have been seconds, and even with his irrational fury and the fact that his thoughts were obviously muddled, Gerard knew that if anyone could fix this, it would be Bert.

"Boys, you need to back away, it's not going to do any good," Bert suggested in a grim tone of voice, his fingers ghosting over Ray's forehead briefly before he pulled away with a sharp shiver. "His esophagus is too damaged to save, he's not receiving your blood, I'm so sorry."

" _No_!" Mikey shrieked, his voice twisting with a hysterical edge as he shoved himself over Ray's still frame suddenly. "He's alive, I can feel him, we can still save him."

"Can't you do something?" Gerard pleaded, although the logical portion of his mind was beginning to understand that Bert would have no more success than they had, but he had to ask, even if he could no longer sense Ray's lungs rising and falling anymore.

"I wish I could." Bert shook his head solemnly, his eyes shining dimly with suppressed tears as Mikey started to whimper softly, his nails digging into Ray's shirt as he curled himself around his mate.

"Baby, please, you have to hang on for me, I love you so much," Mikey heaved out, his words emerging muffled and warped since his face was all but pressed into his chest. "You can't do this now, not when we were supposed to be safe, not today of all days."

But even with Mikey's desperate appeals coupled with Gerard's blood which was still trickling steadily past his scarlet coated lips, Ray made no response besides a sickly gasp, which was the last sound he emitted before his lids slipped shut and his chest ceased to rise completely, and no matter how hard it was to accept, Gerard knew that Ray had died.

"Mikes - come here," Gerard croaked out, his throat burning sharply as he hooked his arms around Mikey's waist, tugging his brother into his lap forcefully. "Bert's right, he's gone."

Mikey fought Gerard for a few moments, his torso shifting and writhing as he tried to return to Ray, but eventually he slumped over with a strangled cry, all of his strength giving out at once like his vitality had been connected to Ray's, and _really_ \- Gerard was certain that a large portion of Mikey had passed away along with his mate.

Mikey had said that he could feel Ray, that he could tell that he was still alive, which most likely meant that they had already bonded by blood before the ceremony had occurred, and although Gerard would have done the same thing if he had been in Mikey and Ray's position, their connection only made this tragedy a thousand times worse.

Ray's death would now not only leave Mikey damaged and heartbroken, but it had a very high chance of killing him as well. Gerard couldn't think of one vampire that had outlived their mate for long, and _yes_ \- he was going to do everything he could to ease Mikey through this, but he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that it wouldn't be enough.

Gerard couldn't dwell on that at the moment though, he refused to imagine losing his brother so soon after his best friend, he couldn't handle it, especially not with the possibility that Frank might be taken from him as well. No matter how difficult it was, Gerard had to find a way to convince Mikey to survive without his mate, because even if it was ridiculously selfish, Gerard needed him - _fuck_ , he needed him now more than ever.

"What even happened," Gerard asked hoarsely once Bert regained his feet after examining Ray's body, trying to distract himself from Mikey's wracking sobs and the way his own chest was tightening painfully, "how was the arch broken?"

"I don't know," Bert murmured, his brows pinching together in consternation as he gazed down at Mikey sadly, "but I am going to find out. I cannot right the wrongs that have been done to your brother, but I will discover what caused it. Will you be able to watch over him while I investigate?"

"Of course." Gerard nodded stiffly, his spine growing tense when Lindsey approached Bert seconds later, and even though Gerard wanted to sneer when Lindsey graced him and Mikey with a look of pity, he simply turned away, burying his head in Mikey's shoulder as his brother continued to weep heavily, his eyes stinging painfully although he did his best to push away his own misery in favor of staying stoic for his brother's sake.

And in that moment, Gerard managed to forget all about Frank for the first time since he had met him, mostly because adding his own personal sorrows to what had just occurred would probably break him, but right now, caring for Mikey was all that mattered to Gerard.

Gerard wasn't sure how to do that though, and before he realized it, he found himself crying too, his tears mixing with the blood that now coated them, his throat closing up as he pulled Mikey as tightly to him as possible, the two of them trying to find comfort in each other's touch even if it seemed like there was nothing in the world that would ease the agony they were both experiencing.


	30. Guilty Consciences Concealed With Comfort

Gerard eventually managed to remove himself and Mikey from the horrific scene when Bert began wrapping up Ray's body with the help of a few other vampires. The sight of Ray being prepared for the death rituals which should never follow so closely after a mating had Mikey sobbing even harder than he already was, inciting Gerard to all but drag him back to their home so he could grieve in private.

Mikey was practically catatonic by the time they arrived, not responding to any amount of touch or words except with the never ending stream of tears that poured down his face, leaving Gerard to attempt to clean them both up the best that he could while fighting against his own sobs which were clogging up his throat.

Gerard wet a cloth down so he could begin wiping away the blood that stained them both, helping Mikey change into fresh clothing before placing him in bed, dealing with himself after his brother was wrapped in a thick layer of blankets, but no matter how hard Gerard scrubbed, he couldn't erase the dirty feeling from his skin even after all signs of the crimson liquid was removed.

Gerard's hands moved slowly as he continued to wash himself, but his mind was running at a thousand miles an hour, his temples aching and his eyes burning as he tried to juggle the multitude of tragedies that had been thrown at him in a short span of time.

It was bad enough when Gerard only had his relationship with Frank to worry about, but now he would give anything for that to be the sole issue he was dealing with. Lindsey discovering their relationship was a paltry thing compared to having to cope with the loss of his best friend, as well as tending to his brother, not to mention his vision was still looming over him, although that had almost been forgotten about underneath the weight of everything else that was dragging him down.

Gerard wasn't sure if he could handle this without cracking under the strain, he wasn't strong enough - _fuck_ , how was he supposed to save both Mikey and Frank now that Mikey's lifeline had been ripped away from him and he would end up putting Frank in danger if he so much as went near him?

Exhausted and heartbroken, Gerard curled himself around Mikey's trembling form, his lids slipping closed when Mikey immediately burrowed into his touch, the sound of their hitched inhalations mixing together as they both attempted to sleep with dismal results, their sorrow keeping them awake long after the sun had risen.

Gerard must have eventually dozed off at some point, although he couldn't remember the actual act, but the next thing he knew, he was being jolted into consciousness by a gentle knock at the door, causing his heart to pound rapidly in his chest when he recalled the last time that had happened only for it to be Lindsey with her terrifying ultimatum.

Gerard forced himself to get up when the second rap of knuckles against wood followed the first at a slightly louder volume, although that was the last thing he wanted to do, but the odds of it actually being Lindsey were slim to none. Gerard doubted she would rub her discovery in his face so soon after a tragedy, but he still found himself shaking with nerves as he padded into the front room, being careful to make as little noise as possible so he didn't disturb Mikey who appeared to be asleep.

When Gerard opened the door, he was greeted with the sight of Bert and Quinn, the latter being a bit of a surprise to him since the other vampire rarely left his home for any reason. Gerard cleared his throat roughly before attempting to greet them, wiping haphazardly at his face even if he knew his effort to remove the tear stains was useless. Bert spoke before Gerard could though, which was probably a good thing given the fact that he wasn't sure if he would be able to produce words just yet without breaking into sobs halfway through.

"Hello Gerard, we are so sorry to disturb you and your brother, but we have discovered what occurred which ended in young Raymond's death, and I thought you would appreciate being informed of our findings."

"Oh...really?" Gerard stammered out, his eyes widening slightly as he spoke.

Gerard hadn't spent very much time pondering the mystery of what had truly happened to Ray after the initial moment, it was hard enough to comprehend the fact that Ray was truly dead, but now curiosity was swirling alongside his sorrow. "Do you want to come in?" Gerard gestured, backing into the small living area when Bert nodded while shooting him a weak smile.

"So, how is your brother Gerard, and you as well?" Bert strayed from his original purpose with his inquiry once they were seated, his tired eyes training on Gerard as he fidgeted uncomfortably under the weight of his pity laced gaze.

"I - I'm...not too well, but that's to be expected, it's just - Bert I think they already mated by blood," Gerard admitted softly, his voice quavering as he did his best not to cry with company present, "and I remember from my days in my old coven that mates usually don't long outlive each other, but do you think it's possible that Mikey will recover from this?"

"It's not unheard of, but it's rare," Quinn spoke up then, his face morphing into a sympathetic expression as he peered in Gerard's general direction. "I don't want to give you false hope, but it isn't going to be easy for him, and he'll never truly be the same person that he was even if he does resist the urge to end his life."

"We will do everything we can to help you and him through this though," Bert added on. "I really do feel awful that this event occurred under my watch, neither of you deserved this tragedy after your years filled with hardships."

"It isn't your fault," Gerard sniffed, his fingers lacing together tightly as Bert inhaled deeply.

"Not directly no, but this was caused by a member of my coven, although I believe the act was performed unwittingly. His name is Pete, I think you have met him before."

"Pete?" Gerard gasped, an image of the small, dark haired vampire rising to his mind, coupled with a rush of confusion involving how the sweet boy he had spoken with a few times who always seemed to be following Brendon around could ever be responsible for murder.

"Yes," Quinn interjected, the part of his face that wasn't covered by his glasses twisting into a grimace. "I don't think I've ever mentioned it before, but Pete and I are related. His mother has powers, as do I, but until recently, Pete showed no signs of any special abilities, they usually don't manifest in one so young, but apparently he also has magic flowing through his veins, and its destructive nature is what caused the arch to shatter and sequentially Ray's death."

"But why would he do that?" Gerard queried in a shocked tone, not understanding how anyone could be so cruel as to ruin someone's mating ceremony, especially not a borderline stranger that should carry no malice toward either him or Mikey. "He always seemed so kind."

"He is in general," Quinn continued to explain, "but he is also young, and I don't think he had full control over his abilities, or even any intention to use them. Powers like his are seldom seen nowadays, and it takes years of skill and honing to be able to harness them properly. They are easily swayed by emotions and situations as well, and it was brought to our attention that Pete had actually mated with Mikey, so viewing him with Ray most likely caused him to snap."

"I had no idea..." Gerard murmured, and although he felt anger at Pete for taking away his best friend and ruining Mikey's life in the process, he also experienced a well of pity for the other vampire as well. Gerard had only recently found his mate, but even the simple thought of watching Frank with another man had his nerves tingling angrily and his stomach churning in protest.

"None of us did except his closest friends, but even they didn't know how much he was struggling to contain his new abilities. It was a series of unhappy circumstances that unfortunately ended horrifically, and I can never apologize enough for your loss, but I thought you would want to know the semantics of what happened, although it won't make your suffering any easier to bear," Bert exhaled heavily, his hands twisting together in his lap in a visible manifestation of his sincerity.

"Thank you for telling me," Gerard sighed softly, because Bert was right, at the end of the night, it didn't really matter how Ray had died, just that he had, but at least he didn't have to waste the energy trying to decipher what had occurred any longer. "Pete won't be punished for this will he?" Gerard asked after a minute of silence. He wasn't sure how things worked here, but if it had truly been an accident, he didn't want the other vampire to be blamed for Ray's death, it wouldn't help anything, and Gerard didn't want bad tidings to fall on anyone else, he'd had enough of those for one lifetime.

"Not exactly..." Bert hedged, "he might not even be alive for much longer actually. The use of that much power left him in a coma, and although we are doing our best to revive him, there is no guarantee that he will survive. If he does, we will have to make sure an incident like this doesn't occur again, but that will be something the elders and I decide upon at a later date."

"Oh...well I hope he gets better soon," Gerard responded lamely, because as much as he did feel partially invested in Pete's fate, he was too exhausted to press the issue any further.

"You have a kind heart Gerard," Bert smiled down at him as he stood up suddenly. "We will leave you be for now to process this news, but don't be afraid to come to me for anything, and let me know when you and Mikey are ready for us to perform Ray's funeral rites."

"I will, I'll just have to speak with Mikey first."

"Of course, take however much time you need," Bert assured him, squeezing his shoulder gently as Gerard pulled himself to his feet as well so he could walk them out, thanking the two vampires for coming to visit before closing the door behind their retreating figures.

Gerard stood in the entryway for an undetermined amount of time after Quinn and Bert had left, mulling over everything he had been told while trying to sort out the mess of emotions clogging up his head. Gerard didn't know what he was feeling, or how he should react now that he had some answers, because although they were helpful, they didn't do anything to eradicate the agony Gerard was currently in, and he knew they would also do nothing for Mikey.

Gerard forced his mind to shut down for the moment until he was blessedly numb, or as close as he could get anyway. He still ached for Ray's loss, and he probably always would, but he was compartmentalizing the pain in an effort to continue to function. Mikey needed him to maintain some form of composure, especially since he had to explain to him how Ray had died, so he embraced his newfound emotionless state, hoping that it would last for long enough that he might begin to heal from the internal damage that hurt more than any physical wound.

When Gerard walked into Mikey's room, he was met with the sight of his brother sitting up on the bed with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cotton shield, his eyes watery but not yet overflowing, which was a surprise to him, but not an unwelcome one. Gerard joined him on the mattress quickly, automatically placing his arm around him to give him another layer of comfort that Mikey seemed to appreciate if the way he melted into his touch meant anything.

"Did you hear all of that?" Gerard asked, earning himself a slow nod from his younger brother in return followed by a quiet whimper. Gerard tightened his hold on his brother, part of him glad that he didn't have to repeat what he'd just been told although he had been planning on leaving certain parts out, including how Pete had mated with Mikey if at all possible, but also knowing that no matter how delicately he worded things, nothing would make Mikey feel any better. "Are you angry with Pete?"

Gerard wasn't sure why he wanted to know if Mikey held a grudge against the other vampire, because he would be perfectly in the right if he did. God knows Gerard would despise anyone that hurt Frank, but _still_ \- Gerard assumed that Pete was being tortured enough right now as it was, and in a way, he had also lost a mate even though Mikey was still alive and breathing.

"No," Mikey spoke so softly that Gerard barely caught the word, "I want to be, but I'm not."

"Bert wants to give Ray a proper funeral soon," Gerard shifted topics quickly in case Mikey changed his mind about his opinion of what Pete had done, not wanting to make things worse by dwelling on the person who had taken Ray away from Mikey even if it had been an accident, "he's just waiting on us, so let me know when you feel up for that."

Mikey simply shrugged in response, his body trembling visibly for a moment before he fell still again. Gerard kept his mouth closed as well, knowing that he shouldn't push Mikey into making a decision while he was in such a fragile state, and _really_ \- Gerard was aware that no matter how much time had passed, Mikey would most likely never be truly prepared to leave his mate in the sun to be incinerated which was the vampire equivalent of a burial, even if they waited for years.

"You're right you know?" Mikey choked out just when Gerard was convinced that he wasn't going to speak again, his voice emerging weak and wavering with heartache, but determined as well as if whatever he had to say was important enough for him to force the sentence past his lips no matter how difficult it was for him.

"About?" Gerard queried, not sure what exactly Mikey was referring to and he was too excited about the fact that he'd gotten a response without having to drag it out of his brother to decipher his meaning.

"Ray and I - we shared blood not too long after we first found the coven, _fuck_ \- I almost wish we hadn't now...I feel empty inside Gee, I miss him so fucking much."

"Oh Mikes..." Gerard whispered, his heart twisting in his chest as Mikey began to cry silently again. "I thought so, but _still_ \- I'm so sorry. I'd give anything to bring him back if I could."

"I don't know how I'm going to live without him," Mikey confessed tiredly before burying his face in Gerard's chest, his skinny frame shaking with sobs as Gerard clutched to him tightly.

"I know Mikey - _fuck_ , this isn't fair, but please don't give up just yet. I - I need you, I can't lose you okay?"

"I'll try," Mikey hiccupped, and although his words didn't hold much conviction at all, Gerard didn't press Mikey any further.

This wasn't going to be easy for either of them, but Gerard wasn't going to let Mikey waste away, he'd find a way to save him somehow, no matter how difficult it was, no matter how much he was hurting, because after being banned from seeing his mate and watching his best friend die in front of him, Gerard wasn't going to fuck up again, he couldn't stand it if anyone else was taken from him.

And even though their future was looking dismal, they would mend with time, or at least, Gerard prayed they would. Maybe Mikey would be willing to leave the coven now that it held so many memories of Ray, maybe Frank would come with them and they could find a place to call their own, to fill with happy moments free of sorrow and despair, or maybe not, but Gerard would never know unless he tried, and he was willing to fight tooth and nail to escape from the cloud of despair that seemed to be smothering him at the moment.

~~~

Brendon's hands were shaking so fiercely as they approached Quinn's house that Ryan ended up having to knock on the door since he was currently incapable of stopping his erratic trembling. They had been given permission to visit Pete after helping clean up the destruction that he had apparently caused, which Brendon couldn't help but blame himself for.

No matter how many times Ryan told him that this wasn't his fault, Brendon refused to believe him, because it _was_. He and Ryan were the only two who had known about Pete's powers beforehand minus his mother, who were informed that Pete had mated with Mikey, and although they weren't aware of what was going to occur at the mating ceremony - _hell_ , Brendon hadn't even realized that Pete was there until later, he should have assumed that Pete would snap under the strain of watching the love of his life being promised to another, but he _hadn't_ , he had simply sat back and watched the disaster unfold without doing anything to prevent it.

Ray's death came about because of him, because he hadn't searched for Pete earlier, because he hadn't tried to get Pete proper help when he first realized he had potentially dangerous abilities. Maybe if he had gone with his instincts and looked for Pete before the ceremony, he could have kept Pete company, or he might have noticed the signs of Pete's breakdown before it reached a critical point - _fuck_ , there were so many things he should have done differently, but it was too late to correct his mistakes, and he would have to live with this guilt for the rest of his life.

Brendon was pulled out of his self-pity for a brief moment by the arrival of Quinn who looked just as exhausted as Brendon felt. Brendon wasn't close with the other vampire, _hell_ \- no one really was given Quinn's inclination for privacy and his condition, but judging from their few interactions, Quinn was a kind soul, if a bit distant and reserved, and he was Pete's cousin, so Brendon had been relieved to hear that he had offered to watch over Pete until he recovered.

"Ah you're here," Quinn nodded to himself when neither of them spoke up, turning on his heel while gesturing them to follow him. "He's in the guest room, but he still hasn't awoken, and I'm honestly not sure if he will."

Brendon gulped audibly while nodding in response, wordlessly trailing after Quinn as he led them to Pete's bedside. He had already known that Pete was in a comatose state, apparently that was how Lindsey had found him at the ceremony after the commotion had died down, but it still hurt to actually see his friend in such a deplorable condition.

There had still been quite a bit of confusion when Pete was originally discovered since it wasn't blatantly obvious what had happened, but once Brendon heard the coven leaders talking in hushed tones about his friend, he had no choice but to reveal his knowledge of Pete's powers as well as the fact that Mikey had been his mate, although in doing so he was terrified that he was unintentionally going to sentence Pete into a life of seclusion like his mother - if he survived that is.

After gathering other witness reports, including one from Jepha who had seen Pete from his spot near the back and had been the first to reach him once he had collapsed, it became apparent that he was the cause of this tragedy, and even though it was most likely a horrific accident, he was now labeled as dangerous, which was a term that Brendon couldn't see fitting the sweet, childish person that was the Pete he knew and loved.

Brendon had broken down in tears after finishing his confession despite his dislike of showing his emotions in public, but it had all been too much. He'd just had to watch Ray who was becoming a friend die before his eyes, he'd been forced to observe Gerard and Mikey weeping brokenly as everyone tried to comprehend what had just occurred, and it was all because of him. Even if Pete had been the weapon, Brendon hadn't disarmed it when he had the chance, so if anyone was going to be punished, it should be him.

Ryan had eventually led him away so he could compose himself, only allowing Brendon to return to the scene of the tragedy early the next evening since it was obvious that neither of them were going to get any sleep. They'd gathered together with the other volunteers to clean away the visible signs of what had happened, trying to erase the bloodstains and gouges left by the destruction of the arch that seemed to stubbornly resist their valiant efforts.

Bert had pulled Brendon aside when most of the work was done, telling him that he and Ryan were allowed to visit Pete even though they were keeping his location a secret from the rest of the coven. Brendon had wanted to ask about how Mikey was doing, but Bert had been called away by Lindsey moments later, and _really_ , Brendon didn't need verbal clarification to know that Mikey was suffering through an emotional storm that made Brendon's look like a petty squall in comparison.

Still, Brendon promised himself that he would visit Mikey and Gerard soon as well, they would need all the support they could get at the moment, and after his failure with helping Pete, Brendon was desperate to do whatever he could to mend the damage that had been caused because of his foolish ignorance of his best friend.

"Take as long as you need," Quinn spoke up again, and it was only then that Brendon realized that they had entered the spare bedroom, his body had been moving on autopilot while his mind was busy elsewhere. "I'll be in the main room, just please keep it down, I've got a lot of research to get through."

"Of course, you won't even know that we're here," Ryan promised, inclining his head in a grateful gesture that Quinn didn't seem to notice since he was already walking away from them.

Brendon whimpered under his breath as he turned his attention to Pete, his heart constricting and his eyes welling with another round of tears although he'd cried so much over the past twenty-four hours he was surprised that he could still produce them, but _fuck_ \- Pete looked awful. Brendon hadn't truly registered the fact that Pete was on the brink of death, but the proof that he was barely clinging to life was irrefutable now that it was presented before him.

Pete was deathly pale, the only color in his face residing in the dark circles under his closed lids, making him appear more like humanity's version of a vampire that they filled their movies with than anything. His chest barely rose and fell, and each breath was harsh and hard fought, leaving Brendon's own lung to constrict sympathetically as he watched his friend struggle for air.

Brendon didn't understand exactly what was wrong with Pete, but he did know that it was because he'd used so much power at once. It had drained him somehow, damaging his internal organs and leaving him in this awful state for fuck knows how long, and although Bert had tried to be optimistic when he'd originally explained this to Brendon, he could tell that the coven leader didn't have much hope for his recovery, or maybe he would rather Pete pass away so he wouldn't have to decide what to do with him if he did wake up.

But _no_ \- Bert wasn't like that, no matter how disliked he was by some people including Ryan. Brendon could tell that he truly cared for everyone under his charge, and although his treatment of Pete's mother wasn't how Lindsey had chosen to do things, he wasn't unnecessarily cruel, and he was doing his best to help Pete while still keeping the rest of the coven safe, which was more than some people would do.

Brendon leaned back into Ryan's touch when he wrapped his arms around him, trying to draw strength from his mate so he wouldn't break down in tears again. Brendon wasn't used to this role reversal, he was typically the composed one, the one giving comfort instead of seeking it, but he was so fucking grateful for the fact that Ryan was holding himself together right now, otherwise Brendon would be even more of a mess than he already was.

"It's going to be okay Brendon," Ryan murmured, his lips brushing against Brendon's ear as he tugged him closer to his chest. "Pete is strong, he'll wake up, we just have to give him some time and everything will work itself out eventually."

"But it won't..."Brendon sniffled, a few tears slipping down his cheeks despite the fact that he'd squeezed his lids closed in an attempt to keep the salty liquid trapped behind them, "Pete _killed_ someone - they're going to lock him up, or banish him, and it's all my fucking fault."

Brendon wasn't even sure if his fears held any truth to them, but honestly, if Pete didn't find a way to control his powers, Bert probably wouldn't have a choice but to separate him from the other vampires. Pete's mother was essentially harmless, but he still secluded her away, even Quinn kept to himself although that was more of a personal choice, but it still proved that individuals with powers such as theirs were shunned, and Brendon didn't want that for Pete, but it was inevitable now that he had shown his abilities.

"You've got to stop thinking like that Bren," Ryan sighed, but there was no frustration to the sound, and Brendon knew that Ryan was also struggling with some residual guilt as well since he had been the one to talk Brendon out of looking for Pete before the ceremony, he had told him so last night. "Even Bert assured us that there was no way we could have known that Pete would snap like that, he doesn't blame us for this, and you shouldn't either."

"It's not even just that," Brendon confessed quietly, making sure to keep the volume of his voice as low as possible even though Quinn could most likely hear their private conversation given the fact that he was barely twenty feet away. "Pete has been my best friend for ages, I have always looked out for him, I've protected him no matter what, but I failed him this time, and if he dies, or gets punished for this, then it's on me. He used to say that I was his family, that I was the only person who truly cared about him, but _fuck_ \- I wasn't there when he needed me most, I left him alone to suffer through this simply because I couldn't understand it. I was so fucking selfish, and now Pete is paying the price."

Brendon gasped under his breath when Ryan turned him around suddenly, tilting Brendon's chin up until their lips connected in a gentle kiss that was over almost as soon as it began, the shock of the unexpected action drying up Brendon's tears for a brief moment much to his relief.

"You may see things that way, but I sure as hell don't," Ryan whispered when they pulled apart, his fingers brushing over Brendon's jaw lightly as he spoke. "You are the most wonderful, kind, loving man I've ever met. I am still amazed at how much you have done for Pete, and you did not fail in this. The world fucked Pete over by giving him these powers, by making his mate unavailable to him, but not _you_. You comforted him, you made me love him simply by watching how much you adored him, you gave him a place to stay and a shoulder to cry on whenever he needed it, which is more than anyone has ever done for him. You looked past his reputation, you treated him like a person and not a freak, and when everything is said and done, that is what Pete will remember, and his opinion of you, not to mention mine is much more reliable than your own."

Brendon wanted to reply, to tell Ryan how much his words meant to him, or maybe how much he loved him, because he did - _fuck_ he loved him so much. Even now Brendon could feel some of his internal pain ebbing away, and although he still wished he had done more for Pete, it was hard to wallow in self-loathing when Ryan was gazing at him with such unbridled affection in his eyes.

Brendon truly meant to voice his thoughts aloud, but the second he opened his mouth, a choked sob escaped instead, the overwhelming rush of being so worried, and exhausted, and unstable sending him into another round of tears, although this time they were tinged with happiness, because he had Ryan here with him, and as long as his mate was by his side, things would never be as awful as they appeared, and he was allowed to bask in that joy even while it seemed like the world was falling apart around them.


	31. Broken Home

"So almost everyone is here now," Sam remarked just to fill the silence, glancing down at Dean who was leaning against the Impala lazily, his eyes scanning the row of cars that were practically filling one side of the hotel parking lot which mostly belonged to other hunters.

"Yep," Dean replied with a smirk, his hands clenching into loose fists as he spoke, "we're going to take down a full coven this time, I can feel it - this is going to be New York all over again."

"If we can find it," Sam had to add on, because although they had gotten the other hunters gathered together, and they had spotted what they believed were at least four vampires hanging around town, they always managed to slip away before they could discover where they were coming from, leaving the brothers frustrated and increasingly agitated as the weeks dragged on with no real victory in sight.

Most of their successes had occurred thanks to their continued stake outs at the veterinary office, that was where the majority of the vampires had been hovering around, including the black-haired male that they'd almost killed during their last encounter with him, as well as a woman and two younger boys. Dean had been all for shooting them the second they were in a less populated area, but Bobby had managed to temper his violent instincts, pointing out that if they waited until one of them led them to their coven, it would be well worth it in the end.

The vampires were crafty though, and even if they didn't know they were being followed, they moved quickly, and often through the woods, leaving the hunters behind so far, but they were persistent. They already had teams scouring the forest for a likely location in which the vampires could survive the daylight in, and eventually, one of them would fuck up and reveal their hiding place, then another nest of the bloodthirsty creatures would finally be eradicated.

"I still think we should talk with that Iero dude, if we explained the situation, he might be able to help us," Dean suggested, leaving Sam to roll his eyes in exasperation since this wasn't the first time Dean had pressed this point.

"And I still say that's a last resort. We don't know how he would react, and even if we tell him we're just trying to catch a criminal and not a vampire, he's obviously friendly with them, so I doubt he'd be on our side."

"They've messed with his head, it's fucking sick," Dean scowled, his booted foot kicking idly at the gravel in a grating fashion, sending stray pebbles skittering away across the bumpy ground. "Just when I think they can't get any more fucked up, then they go and pull shit like this."

"It is strange," Sam hummed, "I've never seen a vampire cling to a human for so long, much less three, because minus that girl, they've all been sighted numerous times."

"Maybe he's got really tasty blood?" Dean offered as an explanation, a soft chuckle breaking up his words which had Sam grinning as well even though the situation was anything but funny.

"Who knows with them, it really doesn't matter anyway, in fact, we probably wouldn't have figured out that there is more than one of them here if it wasn't for him, so we should be thanking him."

"Oh yeah - remind me to leave him a heartfelt card before we head off," Dean scoffed, his posture suddenly straightening as he nudged Sam lightly, bringing his attention forward only to see that Bobby was making his way over to them. "You ready to head out?"

"Yeah, where are we going again though?" Sam asked, because he'd been half asleep during their earlier meeting in which assignments had been handed out thanks to their late night vigils, and he really couldn't remember what duty they had been assigned.

"Bobby's going to help us check out the next town over, he thinks they might live there and be hunting here, which would explain why we can't find them, although I don't agree with him, they are around too often to travel that far."

"He could be onto something, they possess a lot more endurance than we do remember, although that is still a long distance for anyone, and hunting away from their home would make sense."

"I just want to kill a vamp already," Dean grumbled sullenly as Bobby came within earshot, earning himself a fond smile from the older man who had apparently heard his last statement.

"Oh don't worry, you will soon, just gotta be patient," Bobby grinned, clasping both boys briefly on the shoulder before getting in the car, his unwavering confidence strengthening Sam's resolve as usual, because he knew the older man was right, they were going to rid this town of the vampires that were plaguing it, it was only a matter of when.

~~~

Time moved strangely for Gerard after Ray's passing, its flow had become muddled and sluggish, leaving him feeling lost and overwhelmed to the point that he wasn't sure if it was morning or evening - _hell_ , he was rarely certain of what day it was, but yet it passed by him quickly all at once, and before he knew it, the night had arrived during which they would be laying Ray to rest.

Gerard wasn't at all prepared to face what this would bring, because he didn't want to leave Ray's body for the sun to find, he didn't want to have to view his corpse, or to have to watch Mikey break apart all over again. That would mean he would have to accept that he was truly gone, which he knew, _of course_ he did, but a part of him was still trying so hard to pretend that everything was fine, although it was anything but.

They couldn't put this off for much longer though, there was no point in waiting, and Ray deserved a proper funeral after all. Even Mikey had agreed to this, which had been one of the few times he had spoken aloud over the past week, at least, Gerard thought it had been approximately seven days since the mating ceremony, but he really wasn't all that sure of anything anymore.

All he knew was the constant ache inside of him, and also how Mikey was feeling even worse than he was, but they were managing, even if Gerard had to practically force feed Mikey most days, and he rarely left his room, but neither did Gerard, and it wasn't as if Gerard was expecting Mikey to return to his normal self so soon, if _ever_ really.

And deep down, Gerard knew Mikey was damaged in a way that very well might be irreparable, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to keep trying. It would be a never ending project, Gerard was certain of that, and Mikey's heartache would most likely never be eradicated, but he could find happiness again...right?

But when Gerard allowed himself to focus on his secondary source of pain, which was obviously his bond with Frank and his inability to see him, he wasn't so sure, because Frank wasn't dead, but being separated from him was killing Gerard, even his voice wasn't enough to calm him down when he was at his worst anymore, and Gerard could only imagine how horrendous it would be to switch positions with Mikey if he felt this dismal now.

Some positive things had happened over the past few days though, even if they were only tiny pinpricks of light during the sorrowful storm that Gerard found himself in the center of.

Gerard had finally fabricated a plausible story to explain his absence to Frank with the aid of Brendon and Ryan who had dropped by to visit them not long after Ray's passing. Mikey had been asleep at the time, giving Gerard the perfect opportunity to spill his situation involving Lindsey and her threats, which of course had ended with him on the verge of tears once he had let it all out given the fact that he'd been keeping it bottled up inside of him, not wanting to bother Mikey with his paltry problems when he was already dealing with so much.

Brendon and Ryan had been wonderful as always, suggesting that Gerard send him a message explaining that there had been a death in the family, which there had been, but also to add on that he had to leave town for the funeral, and Frank had bought it just like he did all of Gerard's lies, but it helped that this one was partially true, this way Gerard didn't have to hide the misery that was his ever present companion at the moment.

Gerard was scared that Frank would be upset with him for disappearing so soon after they had made things official between them, but the complete opposite had happened; Frank had been nothing but sympathetic, expressing his sadness over the loss of his father which is who he had said had passed and telling Gerard to take all of the time he needed with his relatives.

It wasn't an infallible answer to Gerard's problems though, in fact, he quickly realized that he had to decide what to do about Frank before he lost him forever, because he would either grow bored of Gerard if he continued to stay away or they would inevitably get caught again, so the only thing Gerard could do was to stick with his original decision he had reached at the mating ceremony. He had to tell Frank the truth and hope that he would be willing to vacate Belleville with him, which was a long shot, and Gerard was honestly quite doubtful about his chances of success, but he had to place faith in Frank's feelings for him, otherwise he would have nothing left.

Gerard has spent most of his free hours trying to decide on the best time to meet Frank, because he couldn't allow himself to be seen by Lindsey - not _again_. He refused to put Frank in any sort of danger, especially not since he knew firsthand how his insides would writhe and his heart would stutter in his chest when Frank was hurt thanks to his dream, and of course it hadn't escaped Gerard that his actions might very well cause that nightmare to become a reality, but he would stop the preordained outcome somehow. He wouldn't let Frank die, either in a fiery blaze or by Lindsey's hand, although he didn't believe Lindsey would truly kill someone, but he also couldn't count on that either.

Gerard was afraid though, in fact, he became almost paralyzed with terror when he allowed himself to remember how Quinn was convinced that he was viewing the future, which might mean his and Frank's deaths could be approaching quickly, but _still_ \- it could be years away, it didn't have to mean now. Unfortunately, Gerard had a feeling he wouldn't be that lucky, and it didn't help that the dream was beginning to plague him again now that he was no longer spending every evening with Frank.

In the end, Gerard had to accept that whatever was going to happen would do so whether it followed the sequence of his nightmare or not, and unless Gerard ignored Frank for the rest of his life, which wasn't a viable option, he had to make a choice and stick with it, and he wanted Frank - _needed_ him actually, so he had to take the first step toward making that happen which was to tell Frank what he was and then they could move on from there, if Frank would even want to have anything to do with him after that.

Gerard had eventually spoken with Mikey about his predicament as well on one of his better days during which he seemed mostly lucid, and even then he had still felt guilty, but he had to know if Mikey would be willing to abandon the coven if Frank agreed to do whatever it took to be with Gerard, because as much as he loved Frank, he didn't want to be separated from his brother, and he couldn't stomach the thought of forsaking Mikey now that he no longer had his mate.

Mikey had been a bit overwhelmed by the news, in fact, it had almost seemed like he had forgotten about Frank's existence entirely, which was understandable given everything else that was on his mind, but once he had finished grilling Gerard for details, he'd stated that he would go wherever Gerard did, and that it no longer really mattered to him either way before he'd been unable to speak anymore due to his tears.

Brendon and Ryan had once again stepped up to help Gerard execute his plan when he was certain of his decision; Ryan was rereading William's book in an effort to discover a place where Gerard and Frank could go that would accept them, not to mention they had been keeping an eye on Frank since they could still move about freely as well as Lindsey just in case she attempted to try something while Gerard was occupied with caring for Mikey, which so far she hadn't.

The coven itself was in a state of upheaval lately, everyone was upset and terrified following Ray's untimely death, and there had been numerous meetings regarding Pete who had yet to emerge from his coma and other vampires with powers in an effort to work out how they should be dealt with, which had kept both Lindsey and Bert busy.

Gerard never thought this was how his life would end up when he finally found a home, he'd always imagined covens to be perfect havens, maybe because his only memories of them had been tainted by childlike innocence, or perhaps because his mind had created an unrealistic version of them in order to keep him going during his years of wandering, but he'd always thought that covens would equal security and joy, yet now a large part of him wished that they had avoided New Jersey entirely, although then he would still be clueless about Frank, and despite all the horrors that were happening around him, being with Frank made everything worth it.

And tonight Gerard would finally get to see his mate again, because as nervous as he was about leaving Mikey so soon after they would be setting Ray out to burn, he had to take a risk and pray that everything would be fine. Brendon had promised to watch over him, and this was too good of an opportunity for Gerard to pass up, even if he would be breaking from tradition.

Directly following a vampire funeral, all members of the coven spent the rest of the night secluded in their homes to mourn them until the sun rose and they would be turned to ashes, which meant that this might be the only chance Gerard was given in which he could see Frank without being spotted by Lindsey or anyone else, and as much as he wanted to honor Ray properly, he knew his friend would understand why he had to do this.

Gerard had already gotten in contact with Frank, saying that he'd just returned to town today and he really needed to see him tonight, to which Frank had readily agreed, so all Gerard had to do was make it through the funeral which was due to start in an hour. He had already helped Mikey dress earlier in plain white to signify their sorrow before donning his own garments, so now he was left to ponder the passage of time as he waited for the procession to start so they could join it.

~~~

Gerard hovered probably unnecessarily close to Mikey during the funeral march, purposely keeping his eyes steered away from Ray's body, which was difficult to do since it was directly in front of him, the cot he was being carried on occasionally swinging back and forth when the bearers would lose sync with each other, causing the white covering that had been wrapped around his body to ripple slightly before it would smother him once more.

Mikey had surprisingly kept his composure so far, in fact, he was almost eerily calm, which scared Gerard more than his bouts of tears did, but it was change, and maybe progress as well, Gerard couldn't really tell since Mikey rarely chose to speak lately, but he was praying that this was a positive thing.

Everyone remained silent as they exited the church besides the soft sniffle or two that would occasionally break out, keeping to the traditional vampire death rites that had been around for much longer than Gerard had, honoring him in their minds and their hearts instead of with words that he would no longer be able to hear.

Gerard wasn't sure where they were going exactly, he simply followed Ray's shrouded form as they headed into the woods, their footsteps echoing quietly until Bert suddenly held up his hand at the entrance to a small clearing which would see sunlight once day had broken.

Gerard shuddered as he watched the two men whose names he hadn't learned place Ray in the direct center of the open space, his motions copied by his brother who leaned into Gerard's side weakly. Gerard could hear his breath hitching in his chest, and he knew Mikey was seconds away from shattering for the thousandth time this week, but this event was unavoidable, just like everything that Gerard currently found himself faced with.

Gerard blinked back tears as he pulled Mikey closer, wishing more than anything that this wasn't their reality, that they could be truly happy again like they had been even when they'd been borderline starving and wandering through a world that hated them, because at least then they'd had each other, but now Gerard had lost his best friend, he was left with a shell of a brother, and he ran the risk of driving his mate away from him as well if tonight went badly.

Mikey began to tremble erratically when Bert stepped up to Ray's side, a small dagger clutched in his hand which he then used to nick his wrist slightly, allowing a single drop of his blood to fall onto the white covering that hid Ray's damaged frame from view, the red stain showing up with a brightness that seemed almost fake amongst the shadows and never ending shades of white that coated everything else.

One by one, each person present repeated Bert's actions, passing the knife from hand to hand until Ray was covered in the blood of his supposed family even though they hadn't quite had the time to appreciate any of those bonds before tragedy had struck, but the symbolism was still touching, and Gerard was thankful to Bert for including them as part of their coven so quickly, even if one of them had been the cause of all this.

Ray would now disappear from this earth coated in the blood of his brethren, and he would never be alone, the liquid which was so essential to their survival would help them find him again once they had also passed on.

Mikey and Gerard were last in line since they knew him best, which meant the position of honor was saved for them, but Gerard almost wished they had been able to shed their blood first, that way it would have been over for them and they wouldn't have to watch this seemingly never ending parade of mostly strangers mourning someone who should have been living happily among them.

After what seemed like years, Gerard was given the slender dagger which felt cold to the touch even after being gripped by so many palms. Gerard stared up at the few glittering stars that were present instead of at Ray's still form, mouthing a silent farewell to his friend as the knife bit into his arm, releasing a warm rush of blood that soon joined the other crimson patterns that splattered Ray's coverings.

Gerard held the dagger out to Mikey once he was done, squeezing his brother's hand briefly before stepping back respectfully as Mikey fell to his knees gracefully, his fingers tracing over the outline of Ray's face in a manner so loving that it was actually physically painful to watch.

Eventually, Mikey sat back on his heels and brought the blade to his own wrist which was shaking softly, his pale skin almost matching his garments which hung sadly around his lanky frame as if they too were being dragged down by the heaviness of this moment.

Gerard squeezed his eyes shut as Ryan shifted closer to him so he could place a gentle hand on Gerard's arm, and as much as he appreciated his friend for being here for him, it didn't lessen his pain any, and _really_ , Gerard wasn't sure if anything would.

This agony was going to be a constant part of him now, it wasn't something that would fade away after this evening had ended, no matter how his meeting with Frank went. It filled the space in his heart that Ray had once occupied, which meant that Gerard was going to have to learn to live with it if he was ever going to find happiness, and he prayed that both he and Mikey would somehow find a way to do that together.

~~~

Pete had no idea if he was awake or dreaming, he was unable to open his eyes or move his limbs, but he could feel thing again for the first time in god knows how long, although he wished he couldn't since most of what his body was registering was pain.

His head was throbbing and his stomach rolled uncomfortably as he struggled to open his eyes, although his efforts produced no results, but Pete kept trying, because he had to know where he was, and why he was in such agony, as well as what had happened at the mating ceremony.

The last thing he could remember was seeing Ray about to share blood with Mikey, everything else was a blur after that, or maybe he was still stuck in that moment and his mind had simply frozen in an effort to protect himself from the inevitability of losing his mate.

That didn't explain why everything hurt though, because it shouldn't. He had been fine earlier, if not emotionally, so why was he now unable to sit up, why was he trapped in a murky blackness that appeared to be never ending, why did he feel so drained and weak; nothing added up, and Pete honestly wasn't sure how to start making sense of the mess he found himself in.

Pete heard himself whimper slightly as he continued to struggle against the invisible bonds that seemed to be holding him down, but the sound emerged muffled and weak, as if his ears had been stuffed with cotton, but it was proof that he was in fact conscious, which was something that he still hadn't been entirely sure of, and now that he knew that fact, he intensified his efforts, twisting his torso from side to side although his lids still stubbornly refused to open.

Pete finally managed to roll over onto his stomach, or at least he thought he did, it was hard to tell without his vision, but as soon as he had accomplished that task, he instantly regretted it. His insides began to burn now that his weight was pressing down on them, and before Pete could stop himself, he was gagging heavily, emptying himself of whatever he had eaten in a rush of bile that tore at his throat and caused a rush of hot tears to stream down his cheeks.

Pete sobbed quietly once he was finished being sick, scooting as far from the mess as he could before he allowed his exhausted frame to collapse again. Pete didn't understand why he felt so awful, but he hated this, he just wanted it all to go away, but more than that, he wished he understood why this was happening to him in the first place.

"Pete, are you awake?" a vaguely familiar voice called out just when Pete was beginning to doze off again, their tone filled with concern and a hint of fear as the sound of their footsteps resounded in Pete's head, causing it to pound even more violently than it already had been.

"Quinn?" Pete croaked out, faintly recognizing his cousin's voice even though it seemed to be coming from miles away instead of the next room. "Is that you...where am I?"

"Oh thank god you're awake, you were starting to scare me," Quinn exhaled, his hand coming up to brush Pete's hair away from his face, causing Pete to flinch since he hadn't been expecting the touch. "Can you get up? I need to change your sheets," Quinn queried, ignoring Pete's previous question completely for the time being.

"I don't know," Pete mumbled, doing his best to raise his aching body again, which only resulted in him shuddering and feeling on the verge of vomiting for the second time. "I think I'm really sick Quinn, what's wrong with me?"

"You haven't eaten in quite some time, that's probably part of it," Quinn explained, his voice trailing off for a moment while Pete tried to remember when his last meal was. "Here, drink some of this, it should help."

Pete felt a glass pressed into his hand which Quinn helped him raise to his lips, his tongue recognizing the taste of old blood that most vampires stored in their homes for use during emergencies.

Although the flavor of it was stale and off, Pete sipped on it eagerly, and by the time he had finished downing the liquid, his headache had faded into a muted annoyance and he finally found the strength to open his lids, allowing him to view Quinn's face which radiated concern even though his eyes were covered by his usual pair of dark glasses.

"Thank you." Pete tried to smile at Quinn, but the expression felt like more of a grimace to him. "I feel a lot better now."

"Good, let's get you into my room for now until I can clean up."

Pete nodded wordlessly in response, forcing his stiff legs into motion so he could get out of the bed he had only now noticed he was ensconced in. He stumbled heavily once his feet hit the cool floor, but Quinn caught him easily, allowing Pete to lean on him as they made their way down the short hallway at a painfully slow pace.

"Why am in your house Quinn, and why do I feel so ill? I can't remember anything," Pete managed to ask once he was lying on a different mattress this time, hoping that his assumption was correct, but he really couldn't think of anywhere else he could be.

"You're here because someone needed to watch over you, and I volunteered for the task, and as for your other inquiries...I'm not sure if this is a good time to discuss it," Quinn tried to brush Pete off, "you need to recover first."

"Quinn please...I am so confused, I have to know what happened, because something did, that much is obvious, and if you don't tell me, I won't be able to stop worrying about it."

"I - Pete..." Quinn sighed softly, giving in to Pete's demands quickly much to Pete's relief, "I don't know how to explain this to you delicately, so I'm just going to be blunt. You...you know about your powers right, that you have them?"

"Yes..." Pete whispered hesitantly, his limbs beginning to tremble now that he was aware that someone else had discovered his secret. He wondered how Quinn had found out, if maybe Brendon had told him when Pete had fallen ill, although he wasn't sure how the two occurrences related at all.

"Well, at the mating ceremony, you lost control of them, you destroyed the arch and most of the decorations with your mind, and - _fuck_ \- you killed Ray. I know you didn't mean to, but he's dead. You passed out because of the strain you put on your own body, and you've been in a coma for almost a week since then."

"W-what?" Pete gasped, because although he understood Quinn's words, they hadn't sunk in yet, they couldn't be true. He would never do something like that to another person, no matter how much he hated Ray for taking Mikey away from him, he didn't have it in his heart to hurt someone - _right_? "I - didn't, I..."

Pete trailed off as his mind churned rapidly, providing him with a fuzzy picture of the last moments he could recall, including the fiery pain in his head that usually precluded him using his powers, as well as the screams, and the splintering noises, which meant - _fuck_ , Pete couldn't finish that train of thought, but he knew in his heart that Quinn was right, no matter how much he wished he wasn't.

"It was an accident Pete, everyone understands that, and I've been trying to research ways to help you -"

"I killed someone," Pete cut Quinn off midsentence, his voice emerging dully even though he was a torrential storm of emotions on the inside, "I killed Mikey's mate."

"Not on purpose though, this doesn't make you a murderer, or a bad person, you just need guidance, and I will find that for you somehow. I know I haven't done much for you, and I blame myself for this as well. If I had known, or had any idea that you had power in your blood, I would have stepped in sooner, but I'll do whatever I can to make up for that now."

"Is...is Mikey okay?" Pete sniffed harshly, his body shaking erratically as he did his best to swallow back the sobs that were clogging up his throat to the extent that Pete felt like he was going to suffocate on them in a few minutes if they weren't released soon.

"He's doing about as well as anyone would expect," Quinn replied in a gentle tone, and although Pete wanted to pry for more answers, speaking was a struggle right now, and Quinn seemed to recognize that fact. "Ray's funeral was tonight, it ended not too long ago, but please don't focus on that right now, you need rest, not to mention some food. I was about to make something anyway, so just try and get some sleep and I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

"Thank you," Pete whispered, curling in on himself as Quinn pulled another blanket over him and patted his shoulder in what was supposed to be a reassuring manner, but it only made Pete feel even more terrible than he already did, because he didn't deserve sympathy, or kind words, not after what he had done.

Quinn should be shunning him, hell - _everyone_ should; Pete needed to be punished for killing Ray, because even if it hadn't been his intention, he had still done it, which also meant he had ruined Mikey's life in the process. Pete wished he had died as well, that his powers had destroyed him before he could hurt anyone else, because he knew that was what would happen, even if he did somehow learn to manage them eventually, it would take time, and more accidents could easily occur, which wasn't something that Pete was willing to risk.

Pete couldn't imagine facing Mikey after this, even though a part of him wanted to apologize, to explain that he had never meant either him or Ray any harm, but he knew his words would be useless, and Mikey most likely would never want to see him again anyway. Pete sure as hell wouldn't if their positions were reversed, but as selfish as it sounded, the thought of being unable to speak with Mikey again was what finally had Pete erupting into stifled sobs, his tears soaking through the thin pillow as he buried his face in it, trying the best that he could to quiet himself so Quinn wouldn't return and attempt to give Pete more comfort that he could no longer accept with a clear conscience.


	32. The Big Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've managed to drag myself away from writing about Harry Styles wanking to actually finish a chapter of this I'm so awful I'm sorry.

Gerard worried his lower lip between his teeth as he forced himself to raise his hand in the air, intending to knock on Frank's front door since the Winchester's car was surprisingly absent from the street, which was at least one thing that had gone right so far, and Gerard hoped that the following sequence of events would also play out in such a pleasant manner.

Now if only Gerard could convince himself to move his arm and rap upon the wood barring his way from seeing Frank, but that was easier said than done. Gerard had to do it soon, he knew that, because it was late, already past curfew he was mostly certain, but he had texted Frank when he headed out, and he had been awake then, responding with a quick _"I can't wait to see you"_ that had somehow radiated sincerity even through a simple message.

Gerard didn't want to do this though, he was so terrified of telling Frank about what he really was, of admitting everything that he had so far managed to hide successfully, because as wonderful as Frank was, he was still human, which meant that his instincts would most likely leave him disbelieving or afraid, and Gerard couldn't stand to see either of those reactions on the face of the person he loved.

Gerard began to doubt everything as he hovered in the entryway, because what if he was making a mistake, or what if Mikey became hysterical while he was gone and Brendon couldn't calm him down? He had been doing as well as could be expected when Gerard had left, but things could change in an instant, and with the memory of leaving Ray's body in the woods so fresh in his mind, his brother's emotions were most likely all over the place at the moment.

Gerard was being ridiculous though, and he knew that, because Mikey was probably fine, relatively speaking, and Brendon would be able to handle him even if he wasn't, and _yes_ \- Gerard wanted to be with his brother if he needed him, but Frank was important to him too, and he had to focus on him as well if he ever had any chance of being happy, but that didn't make leaving Mikey any easier, although Gerard was just making excuses to avoid confronting Frank for as long as possible.

Gerard tried to remind himself that William had been successful when he shared his true nature with Gabe, but that had been different as well. They had known each other for years before William had revealed the fact that he was a vampire, they had admitted they loved each other aloud, and William hadn't asked Gabe to leave everything he knew behind to be with him, not at first anyway.

Gerard's knees buckled slightly as his mind began to assault him with worst case scenarios, because this could be it for his and Frank's relationship, he could lose him tonight, and honestly, Gerard didn't think he could handle that so soon after the death of Ray, but it was a possibility, and Gerard couldn't pretend that everything was going to fall into place just because he wanted it to.

But Gerard couldn't do nothing either, not after coming this far, because he wasn't going to get another opportunity like this again in quite some time, so he had to tell Frank now, before Lindsey discovered that he had snuck out again, or Frank got frustrated with Gerard for not being able to visit, so although it felt like one of the most difficult tasks he had ever accomplished, Gerard rapped his knuckles against Frank's door, ignoring the way his lungs seized in his chest and his stomach churned angrily as if in protest of the risk he was taking.

It felt like years before Gerard heard any movement in the house, although it was probably a minute at most, _still_ \- it had been long enough for Gerard to contemplate bolting away and trying this again another night when he had time to gather more of his courage, but once he spied Frank's smiling face peering up at him through the window before he disappeared to let Gerard in, his fears evaporated for the moment and he lost himself in the excitement and adoration he could feel pulsing through his bond with Frank.

"Hey," Frank grinned widely, his teeth showing as he stepped back, ushering Gerard to come inside, which should have been a relatively simple feat, but Gerard felt as if weights had been tied to his shoes as he forced his stiff body to step over the threshold. "I missed you," Frank spoke up again before Gerard could, his hands wrapping around Gerard's neck as he dragged him down for a quick kiss that Gerard eagerly gave him, inhaling Frank's scent greedily as he did so, noticing how much more potent it seemed now that he had gone for so long without it.

"Missed you more," Gerard murmured against Frank's mouth, unwilling to break the connection of their lips even if Frank most likely couldn't understand him given the muffled quality of his words.

Gerard continued to kiss Frank for longer than he probably should have, distracting himself in the slick heat of his tongue and the way Frank all but melted into him as the minutes ticked by, but Gerard knew he was only putting off the inevitable conversation they needed to have, _still_ \- he wasn't going to deny himself this, especially since it might be the last time Frank was going to willingly kiss him.

Eventually, Frank did pull away, giggling softly under his breath as he tugged Gerard upstairs into the homely part of the building that resided above the clinic. Gerard clung tightly to Frank's hand the entire way, doing his best to memorize how his fingers felt slotted against his own just in case he never got to experience this simple act of affection again.

"So how are you doing?" Frank asked once they were snuggled up on the couch together. "I know we've been talking all week, but I've still been worried about you."

"I'm fine mostly, sad, but managing," Gerard sighed, digging his nails slightly into Frank's side to ground himself as another wave of pain assaulted him. "My brother is taking it a lot harder than I am, so he's who I'm more worried about right now."

"I can't image what it would be like to lose a parent, I mean, I'm lucky to have both of mine in good health. They don't live here anymore though, I should really make a point of visiting them soon."

"You should," Gerard agreed, his mouth drying up and his muscles going rigid as he tried to take the momentary silence as an opportunity to lead the conversation in the direction he needed it to go, but he wasn't ready for this, he never would be, so he simply pulled Frank closer to him instead, burying his face in his neck as he exhaled shakily.

"It's going to be okay," Frank whispered soothingly, mistaking Gerard's actions for a sign of sorrow when it was really more terror driven instead, but Gerard chose not to correct him just yet, simply enjoying the pressure of Frank's hand as it brushed through his hair and how good it felt to be held by him.

"But it's not," Gerard managed to choke out, "everything is fucked, and I - I'm _scared_."

Gerard shivered violently once his words hit the air, because although he hadn't admitted his secret just yet, he had taken the first step, and he knew he couldn't stop now, but he wasn't exactly sure what to say next.

Gerard had gone over this scenario probably a thousand times by now, working out how he should spring this on Frank, and what information to reveal as well as the details he should gloss over to make it all easier for Frank to bear; his dreams definitely fell into the latter category, but of course, Gerard's mind had gone blank as soon as he started speaking as if he had done no previous planning whatsoever.

"What are you scared of?" Frank asked quietly, his brow creasing as he pulled away slightly so he could look Gerard in the eye.

"It's just...a lot has happened to me lately, and I haven't really been entirely honest with you in regards to some things, not that I don't trust you, but because I'm terrified that you are going to leave me. I know I can't keep dancing around this forever, but I want to, because I really care about you, but it's not fair to you to be left in the dark either," Gerard spit out in a rush, his thoughts jumbling together and emerging in an incoherent mess that even he had problems deciphering, so he wasn't at all surprised to see a look of confusion passing over Frank's face.

"This isn't about your dad is it?" Frank questioned slowly, his posture stiffening up slightly when Gerard shook his head no. "Well you know you can tell me anything Gerard. I really care about you too, and whatever it is, we can work through it together... _right_?"

"But what if it's bad...well, more like _crazy_ actually." Gerard stalled for time, wiping his palms on his shirt hastily when they began to grow damp and clammy. "You're going to think I've gone mental, and I don't want that, but I also can't hide this from you anymore either."

"Honestly you're acting pretty weird right now, and I'm not going anywhere," Frank smirked, his attempt at humor calming Gerard down by a small margin. "Just tell me what's on your mind, I promise I'll hear you out before I start panicking."

"Okay," Gerard inhaled deeply, licking at his dry lips as he tried to remember how he had decided would be the best way to go about this, because he had a feeling that simply announcing that he a vampire wasn't going to sit well with Frank at all, "so _uh_...what if I said that the first night we met wasn't that afternoon at the clinic, that I had seen you before, but you just couldn't remember it?"

"I'd be confused but also curious," Frank responded quickly, and his words were backed up by the sensations flowing through his bond with Gerard. There was no fear there, or the urge to flee, which allowed Gerard to continue on with his drawn out supposedly hypothetical explanation.

"So let's say that I'd seen you before, that we had an encounter that you can't recall, and I sort of fell for you then, but I didn't know how to bring up that I'd seen you without scaring you away, so I came back to the clinic hoping that I would run into you again, and then, against all odds, you liked me too, and I got so wrapped up in how you made me feel that I didn't think about the consequences of what I was doing, so I sort of fucked up, and now I don't know what to do."

"I'd say you need to come clean and tell me everything so we can try to fix whatever has happened," Frank suggested, but Gerard could hear the slight quaver in his voice, followed by a swift spike of insecurity that flared across his mind that he knew came from Frank.

"I'm trying, I really am," Gerard groaned, dropping his head into his hands as if avoiding Frank's gaze would somehow make all of this easier for him. "Do you believe in myths?" Gerard tried for a different approach, although he was aware that he was only delaying his inevitable reveal of what he was.

"Not really..." Frank answered hesitantly, "I mean, if you're referring to old wives tales and things like that, then no, but honestly, I don't really understand where you are going with this."

"I - I know I'm not making any sense, and I really should just say it, but I'm scared you'll hate me, and I can't live with that, but it's not like I can change what I am either."

"Are you trying to say that...you were following me beforehand," Frank guessed, "like _stalking_ me?"

"No - _god no_ ," Gerard exclaimed, realizing that he was just going to have to say it before Frank jumped to any more incorrect conclusions. "I'm a vampire."

"Excuse me?" Frank scoffed, arching one eyebrow upward as Gerard made himself look at Frank so he would understand that he was being serious, but all Gerard felt was amusement bubbling through their bond. "Don't tell me you're that crazy person that's been killing everyone and leaving bite marks on their neck," Frank joked, but Gerard didn't miss the slightly serious nature to his tone.

"No, that's not me, it might be an actual vampire though, but I'm not sure who is doing it."

Gerard had almost forgotten about the killer that was the reason for this city's curfew in the first place, but now that he thought about it, it was quite possible that someone from the coven was committing murder, either that or a rogue was loose in town, but Gerard had a feeling that Bert would have made sure to eliminate them quickly if that was the case.

"Seriously, you can laugh and tell me that you're fucking with me at any time, because honestly, this joke isn't funny at all."

"I'm not kidding Frank, I _really_ am a vampire. That's why you never see me during the day, and why I haven't invited you to my home, because I live in a coven with others like me, and I know this sounds insane, but it's the truth."

"Have you been drinking?" Frank giggled, the sound taking on a slightly hysterical edge when Gerard curled his lips upward, revealing his fangs which he had allowed to poke through his gums so Frank could see physical proof of his claims, causing Frank to jolt backward on the couch, putting some distance between their bodies that stung Gerard more than it should.

"I wish I was, but I'm not. This is real Frank, we exist, we just hide ourselves away from humanity to avoid being killed by the hunters. Speaking of that, those two FBI agents that keep parking outside of your house are actually vampire hunters. They probably noticed me coming in here one night, or maybe saw the bite mark on your neck from our first encounter. I've run into them before, they're dangerous -"

"Wait... _fucking hell_ , you mean you were the one that left that hickey? Oh my god - did you fuck me that night?" Frank gasped harshly, his eyes widening as the missing pieces of his memory clicked into place. "Do you know how much that scared me? I thought fucking aliens had probed me or some shit and erased my mind, but it was you... _holy shit_. Why can't I remember it?" Frank demanded, his hands trembling and his chest rising and falling rapidly as he visibly struggled to process the new information his brain was receiving.

"It was me, and I am so sorry Frank. I didn't mean for that to happen, but I can explain if you let me." Gerard waited for Frank's shaky nod of affirmation before taking a deep breath, swallowing back the fear that was still clawing at his throat before he spoke. "I was hurt, shot actually by the very same men that are posing as FBI agents. I managed to escape them, and I ended up on your doorstep. I don't know how much you can recall, but you stitched me up and helped me heal enough to regain consciousness, but I was still too weak to travel, so I drank some of your blood. My bite carries venom that makes humans forget everything for a few hours, and it also is a strong aphrodisiac as well. I shouldn't have slept with you though, it was wrong of me, but you were so desperate, and pretty, and then when I found out that you were my mate -"

"I'm your _what_?" Frank choked out, interrupting Gerard with his question, but Gerard had been expecting Frank to bombard him with those, so he wasn't at all perturbed.

"Vampires don't fall in love with just anyone, we all have preordained mates, and you are mine, which is odd since you are a human, but apparently I am not the only vampire this has happened to it, but basically I've bonded with you. I can feel your emotions since I've tasted your blood, and I'm instinctually drawn to you, I think that is why I came here when I was wounded, even though I didn't realize it at the time."

"This...this is so fucked up, like _fuck_ , I'm going fucking crazy, this has to be a dream or something."

"I know it seems that way, but you have to believe me Frank," Gerard pleaded, trying to decipher Frank's emotions as he waited for a verbal response, but they were so muddled and confusing that Gerard wasn't sure how Frank was taking the reveal of his true nature.

"It's sort of hard not to, I mean, look at your fucking teeth, and that explains so much about that night, but _fuck_ \- I'm dating a vampire," Frank chortled halfheartedly, leaning over so he could peer at Gerard's mouth as if he was making sure that he hadn't imagined the fangs that resided there.

"If it helps, I haven't drank from you since that first night, and I never will again unless you give me permission," Gerard added on, but judging by the glazed quality to Frank's irises, Gerard wasn't entirely sure that he had processed what he was saying.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Frank finally spoke up again, his tone much calmer this time which Gerard hoped meant that some of this was beginning to sink in. "I mean, I wasn't suspicious or anything, and _yes_ \- I'm glad you didn't want to lie to me anymore, but I can't pretend I'm not slightly freaked out by all of this."

"I - I had to let you know what's going on because I fucked up, and it is going to affect us, if there is even still an us?" Gerard queried, his eyes watering slightly when Frank didn't immediately provide him with a yes or a no answer.

"I...I still care about you, _a lot_ ," Frank whispered so softly that Gerard had to strain his ears to hear him, "and I shouldn't, because I'm fucking shaking over here, and I don't know how to process this, but I do. Maybe it's this whole mates thing, or maybe not, but no one has ever made me feel like you do, and I'm not ready to lose that, no matter how afraid I am."

"Thank you," Gerard exhaled loudly, some of the tension that had been threating to crush his chest evaporating as Frank scooted slightly closer to him again, even going so far as to place one of his hands on Gerard's knee which he only just now noticed was bouncing up and down erratically.

"But wait...you said you fucked up, what did you mean by that?" Frank reminded Gerard just when he was beginning to relax, causing Gerard to inwardly curse himself for thinking that he was in the clear, because he wasn't, the worst was still yet to come.

"Yeah...I did. One of the coven leaders saw me leaving your house the last time I was here, that's partially why I haven't been coming by. I wasn't actually out of town, my dad didn't die either, my brother's mate did though, but that's a different story. Basically, most vampires hate humans, especially the older ones, and now I am forbidden from seeing you because of that, and if I'm caught again, I'll be punished as well as you. I only got away tonight because everyone is in mourning, so they won't leave their homes until the sun comes up. I didn't know when I would get another chance to see you, which is why I decided to tell you all of this now while I could still do it in person, I wasn't sure I'd be able to convince you over the phone," Gerard laughed lightly, trying to downplay the seriousness of their situation with a paltry attempt at humor.

"So we're screwed is what you're saying?" Frank summed things up perfectly, a surge of terror flowing through Gerard's head that had him aching to pull Frank into his arms, but he wasn't sure if he would welcome that gesture at the moment. "So what are we supposed to do? I don't want to stop seeing you, even if this is probably the weirdest relationship I've ever been in, but I don't want to piss off another vampire either."

"I've been asking myself that same question all week," Gerard confessed, his spine going rigid as Frank gazed up at him like he held all the answers in the world, but Gerard had a feeling he wouldn't like his solution at all, "and the only way I can see us being able to stay together is if we leave Belleville entirely, anything else is too risky, and I don't want to put you in any more danger."

Gerard wasn't prepared for the intense wave of shock and anger that roiled off of Frank at his statement, in fact, he'd truly thought that Frank would react more to the fact that he was a vampire than his suggestion to relocate, but Gerard found himself proven wrong when Frank pushed himself off of the couch roughly, his hands clenching into fists before he shook them out so he could begin tugging them through his hair haphazardly.

"You're kidding me," Frank scoffed, his words tinged with spite that had Gerard flinching back against the cushions warily. "I can't just take off, that's _ridiculous_. I've lived here my whole life, my friends are here, my job is here, and as much as I like you, I wouldn't even do that for my parents - _fuck_ , I can't believe you would ask that of me." Frank's tirade ended on a bit of a wail, leaving Gerard wracked with guilt and desperate to fix what had been broken because of his foolishness.

"You don't have to of course," Gerard reminded him, even though the thought of Frank refusing to consider his proposal had his heart aching and tears stinging at the corners of his eyes. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, and maybe something will change, and Lindsey will loosen up, but unless you have another idea, this might be the last time I see you for quite a while."

"Gerard...I - I meant what I said earlier, and I want to be with you, but I can't commit to this, not right now." Frank stopped his relentless pacing and collapsed next to Gerard, his body deflating as if all of the fight had been drained out of him. "I need time to think, to process this all properly. You're incredible, but maybe a part of me knew that this was too good to be true, and as much as I'd love to see where this goes, my practice is the most important thing to me right now, and I can't abandon all of that, not even for a chance at finding love."

"I understand," Gerard whimpered quietly, turning his head so Frank wouldn't see how affected he was by his words, "I didn't think you would, I just had to try you know?" Gerard sniffed weakly, his shoulders shaking as he did his best to swallow back the sobs that were threating to break out of him despite his best efforts at containing them.

"I'm not saying this can never work," Frank continued when Gerard became to overcome to speak, "and I'm not breaking up with you, not unless you want me to, but I think we should discuss this more, maybe see if we can figure something else out. I don't have a good grasp on everything yet, but we can still talk and stuff right?"

"Yeah - of course," Gerard smiled weakly. "They don't know about my phone, and maybe Brendon and Ryan can help me find a safe way to spend time with you."

"Oh my god, they're vampires too aren't they?" Frank chuckled gleefully. "I knew something was off about them, _fuck_ \- everything really does make sense now."

"Yeah they are, they've been really wonderful toward me, and they obviously don't hate humans like everyone else."

"God this is all so fucking crazy."

"It is, and I'm so sorry. I wish I was normal, or that things were different and I could be with you in the way that you deserve," Gerard apologized, making sure to imbue each of his words with sincerity so Frank would know he really meant it, because he _did_. Frank was it for him, his one, his only, and there would be no one after him, although the same sentiment probably didn't hold true for Frank.

"My mom always used to say that if it's meant to be, it'll work out in the end, so maybe we just need to place some faith in that," Frank suggested, his own voice taking on a choked quality that had Gerard seconds away from shattering when he noticed the muted hurt pulsing across his mind that originated from Frank.

"Well apparently somebody wanted us to be together since they made you my mate, so I really hope your mom is right," Gerard sighed, allowing his arm to curl around Frank's shoulders when he leaned into his side heavily. "I should probably go though, I have to be back before anyone notices I'm gone."

" _Oh_ ," Frank slumped downward a fraction, his hand clutching to Gerard's thigh briefly before he pulled it away just as quickly. "That's fine, I need to sleep on this anyway."

"So I can still call you right?" Gerard double checked as he regained his feet, slowly making his way out of the room and down the stairs as Frank followed close behind him.

"Yes, please do," Frank nodded vehemently, "I'm not angry with you or anything, just overwhelmed, and I know it must have taken a lot of courage for you to tell me all that, so thank you for being honest and looking out for me."

"I'll always do my best to protect you, even when I can't be by your side," Gerard promised, his feet dragging as Frank's front door loomed in his peripheral vision. "Can I kiss you?" Gerard asked when Frank failed to speak again, his stomach flipping over slightly when Frank instantly moved nearer to him, linking their hands together as he tilted his head upward, allowing Gerard to lean down until their lips brushed against each other's gently.

It took all the strength Gerard possessed not to cry as he kissed Frank for what could very well be the final time, because even though it felt amazing as always, it was tinged with a bitterness that none of their past encounters had shared.

Things were different now, everything was out in the open much earlier than it was supposed to be, and Gerard honestly didn't know if they would be able to overcome the flurry of events that were threatening to tear them apart, but he could hope. Frank was still willing to try to maintain a relationship with him after all, he hadn't left Gerard even after he knew the truth about him, and that had to mean something.

But as much as Gerard didn't want to admit it, the pressure of Frank's lips on his own felt like a goodbye, and no matter how much passion and longing Gerard poured into his actions, he couldn't erase the threatening air of finality that was hanging over the two of them like an invisible cloud.


	33. Isn't Pain Supposed To Make You Stronger?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is shorter than the others have been but it was more of a transition section than anything else. 
> 
> The next update will have another big event though so we are working our way up to the end of this story slowly but surely.

Frank wasn't sure how long he stayed outside of the door after it closed behind Gerard, but it felt like eons to him. His head was spinning so violently he was slightly worried that he was going to be sick, but he couldn't convince his feet to move just yet, so he continued to stand there with his hands dangling loosely at his sides, small tremors shaking his frame as watched his boyfriend - his _vampire_ boyfriend disappear from his line of vision.

It was almost as if Frank was having an out of body experience, he could vaguely see himself in the entryway, he watched as his chest rose and fell, as his palms brushed against his thighs, but he wasn't a part of himself. Maybe it was a coping mechanism to escape the panic that was hovering all around him, or maybe he had really gone crazy, but whatever it was, Frank knew he couldn't maintain this distance from what had happened forever.

A hysterical chuckle clawed its way out of his throat a few minutes later, the sound startling him since Frank wasn't really aware of himself right now, but the humorous noise quickly morphed into a sob as the weight of everything he had learned tonight crashed down around him, the situation no longer appearing either funny or manageable at all now despite what Frank had told Gerard.

Frank regained control of himself quickly, wiping at his face angrily before leaning back against the wall, taking a few unsteady breaths in an effort to calm down, and it worked, temporarily at least, but that would have to be good enough for now.

He still didn't want to believe this, how could he honestly? Vampires weren't real, but apparently they were, and _fuck_ \- forcing his mind to accept that was a much more difficult task than Frank had thought it would be. He had never claimed to be all that stubborn, and he'd been given very solid proof of the fact that vampires did indeed exist, that wasn't the problem here, but still - this was too much, too crazy, too unexpected, too painful.

Frank didn't want Gerard to be a vampire, and not because he couldn't move past his species eventually, because he probably could if he was given a bit more time, but he wasn't sure how to handle the news that he was no longer allowed to see Gerard thanks to a bitch named Lindsey that hated humans for some reason that Frank had either forgotten or never been told.

It was ridiculous when Frank laid it out that way, although he didn't understand how the vampire hierarchy worked, but Gerard was an adult, _probably_ \- vampire aging was another subject that Frank hadn't thought to ask about, but he didn't see how one person could have so much authority over him and sequentially Frank. That wasn't how things were supposed to work, but Gerard had seemed terrified of her, so she must hold quite a bit of power over him.

Frank's knees buckled slightly as his brain continued to work itself into a frenzy, and while he still could, Frank convinced his stiff body to make its way upstairs before he collapsed in the middle of the hallway, and although he did stumble on the stairs and almost fall, he managed to make it without sustaining any serious injury.

Frank threw himself onto his bed with a soft groan when he entered his room without switching on the light, not bothering to change out of his clothes or even to get under the blankets since he no longer had any energy left in his trembling limbs.

Frank glanced over at the nightstand where he'd placed his bottle of lube and a condom earlier in the hopes that he and Gerard would be using them right about now. He didn't think this was how his night would end, he'd envisioned Gerard here beside him, he'd wanted to fall asleep with him, to hold him after going a week without, but now he had no idea when he would be able to see his boyfriend again, and it was that fact that had a few tears spilling down Frank's cheeks, his chest tightening painfully as he curled in around his knees in a paltry attempt at providing himself with some of the comfort that he was in desperate need of, but if he was being truthful with himself, he needed Gerard here with him if he had any hopes of feeling better, even with all of the complications his presence would bring.

Frank hated everything about this - it just wasn't fair. He'd finally found someone he thought he could fall in love with, although he knew he was jumping the gun a bit on that front, but honestly, Gerard had been pretty much close to perfect until tonight, and even now, Frank wanted him in his life, he was willing to overlook his fangs and the fact that he drank blood, but he didn't know if he could handle not being near him for a prolonged period of time.

Frank felt a bit silly as he continued to cry, his sobs pushing their way past his lips one after the other no matter how hard he tried to stifle them, but this hurt - it hurt _so fucking much_ , and Frank truly felt as if he had just gotten his heart broken, which realistically was how this was most likely going to end.

He couldn't leave Belleville, that wasn't an option, but if he didn't, he would lose Gerard. Frank despised how helpless he felt right now, but if those were really his only two choices, then he was fucked. It was almost impossible to decide between his boyfriend and his home, only the fact that he'd relied on one for much longer than the other was swaying him toward the later, and having either taken from him would be agonizing, so to sum it up succinctly, Frank lost no matter what he did, and that realization had him whimpering against his pillow pathetically.

Frank knew that logically he should leave Gerard, especially if things didn't get better soon. He could find someone else, maybe even move on eventually, but in the back of Frank's mind, he had a feeling that no one would ever invoke the same emotions that Gerard brought out in him.

Gerard was special, there was no other way to describe him. Frank had known that from day one, although Frank wished he was a little less unique in the manner that he was still human, and that his actions weren't dictated by someone else.

And what if this mate thing went both ways, Frank couldn't remember if Gerard had mentioned that or not, but it would make sense given the fact that he had been instantly attracted to Gerard. What if Gerard was it for him, what if Frank would never meet anyone else that held a candle to his flame, but also, was that worth giving up everything he had spent his whole life building from the ground up?

Frank didn't know, that was the problem, and the confusion flooding through his body was overwhelming him with its intensity, so Frank made himself stop thinking for the time being. For now, all he could do was wait, he would give Gerard a chance to find a solution that worked for both of them, and if he couldn't, then Frank would focus on that when it happened.

So with a persistent ache in his chest and the memory of Gerard's kiss playing through his head, Frank fell into a fitful sleep filled with dreams of his boyfriend and what could have been, what he'd been hoping they'd experience together until his fantasies had been shattered by a creature of legend that had become Frank's reality.

~~~

Gerard had previously assumed that he had been through all the forms of torture that the world had to offer him; his parents had been killed when he was only a child, he'd spent the majority of his life homeless and starving, he was assaulted with horrible nightmares that left him sick and weak after, he'd lost his best friend and his brother might soon follow after him, but honestly, feeling Frank's emotions without being able to comfort him ranked quite high on the list of the most painful things Gerard had ever experienced.

His confession had gone well all things considered, he hadn't been caught sneaking back into the coven either, and Frank had kept to his word, continuing to call and text Gerard often, but as the days passed and neither of them had found a way for Gerard to safely visit him again, Frank became visibly more upset, which their bond reflected even across the distance that separated them.

Frank missed him terribly, which should have made Gerard happy since it meant he truly cared for him, but it didn't - god it _hurt_ , because combining that with his own sorrows created a cocktail composed of tears and longing that he drank from far too often, turning Gerard into a shell of a man who was almost as morose as Mikey half of the time.

Frank was constantly upset, he'd told Gerard he struggled to get out of bed most mornings, and that he wasn't finding joy in the animals he treated like he used to, which only made Gerard feel even more awful about everything. He was trying to save Frank by staying away from him, but in doing so, he was sucking all of the life out of him, and that was just another wrong that Gerard had no idea how to right.

Having Frank so close but at the same time out of reach was so painful it left Gerard sick at times; it was synonymous with losing a limb, because Frank was a part of him, he had burrowed into his mind, he flowed through his veins even so long after drinking his blood, and the phantom pressure of his presence was more of a hindrance than a blessing when every reminder of him was tinted with sadness and despair.

Gerard had even gone so far as to try and find a way to mute a bond with a mate in an effort to regain some sense of normalcy in his life. He didn't want to forget about Frank, but he was drowning in their mutual misery. His research had come up with nothing though, so for now, Gerard was left to suffer in silence and pray that Lindsey magically relented or fell off the face of the Earth sometime soon.

To top everything off, he'd been dreaming every night again, the same sequence of events of course in which he and Frank burned to death no matter what he did, ending with him waking in tears before he threw up violently. He wasn't sure how many more times he could watch Frank die before he truly went insane, so he attempted to stop sleeping, which only worked for a short while before he would give in to his exhaustion and doze off without meaning to.

Gerard still hadn't told Frank about his visions, he didn't want to casually message him about something so intense, and _really_ \- he'd already piled enough burdens on Frank's shoulders without informing him that he might die in a fire sometime soon as well. Gerard would give anything to remove that knowledge from his brain, but since that was impossible, the least he could do was save Frank from knowing about it.

Gerard's only saving grace at the moment came in the form of Brendon and Ryan; they practically lived with him now when they weren't visiting Pete, and if it wasn't for them, Gerard was certain that he and Mikey would have wasted away by this point since they were basically incapable of caring for themselves.

Gerard had told the two numerous times that they didn't have to do this, because although he appreciated the assistance more than he would ever be able to explain, it didn't feel right to have them taking care of him constantly when he was mostly fine, just lonely and a bit broken.

They continued to come around though, and after Ryan had hinted to Gerard that helping them out was assuaging some of the guilt Brendon still carried over not stopping Pete's actions before it was too late, Gerard had ceased to protest, letting them bring him and Mikey fresh cooked meals and bagged blood since neither of them were truly up for either cooking or hunting.

Almost two weeks passed in this fashion, with no changes for better or worse. Mikey was still alive, if only physically, and if he and Gerard spent most of their nights holding back tears instead of conversing, at least they still had each other, and Frank was still alive, if unattainable at the moment, so things could be worse, but honestly, Gerard didn't think he would be able to handle any more sadness without his heart shattering inside of his chest.

~~~

Pete awoke to the sound of voices, which wasn't an unusual occurrence recently. It was most likely just Brendon and Ryan conversing with Quinn, but when Pete strained his ears a little harder, he realized that it wasn't his friends in the other room, but what sounded like Bert as well as a few others who were attempting to talk in hushed tones that were made pointless given vampire's keen sense of hearing.

Pete debated on if he should let them know he was conscious, because if Bert was here, it was most likely to see him. Pete wasn't sure how long he'd been bedridden, but it felt like ages, and this confrontation was bound to happen eventually, Pete just wasn't ready for it quite yet, so he kept silent and waited to see what would happen next.

And _really_ , Pete wasn't sure if he was up for moving anytime soon. He was healing slowly, but his body was still achy and wracked with pain, it was a rarity for him to be able to keep down food, and he spent most of his time sleeping when he wasn't getting ill, all of which had kept him trapped in Quinn's house with no contact from anyone else besides Brendon and Ryan.

"I don't know what else you want me to say," Quinn sniffed, his sharp tone catching Pete's attention, causing him to sit up slightly as he tilted his head in the direction of the living room. "I don't think Pete is dangerous, not inherently, but he is young, and incredibly gifted. These powers are a destructive force yes, but I cannot predict if he will snap again, or when. I'm more than willing to continue watching over him, but I am not a coven leader, so your word will always have the final say."

"There is no need to be defensive Quinn, I was just asking your opinion on his current state," Bert sighed, his tone sounding incredibly weary as if he hadn't slept in far too long.

"Well you've already seen him, as well as witnessed what he can do. He isn't a malicious killer, but he is very sick at the moment, so I don't advise moving him just yet. If you want to lock him away with his mother, I'll understand why, but that's just hiding the problem, not fixing it. I've been researching his skills, and I think I can help train him, but you have to give me time, and also be aware that accidents might happen."

"We can't afford another _accident_ ," a new voice cut in, and since it was female, Pete assumed it was Lindsey that was speaking since he couldn't think of who else could be present. "He's a menace like this, and if we don't want another innocent murdered, I think we should seclude him as soon as possible. If Quinn wants to put himself at risk by keeping him in his home, that's fine, but he needs to understand that he cannot leave, and I also don't want Brendon and Ryan here anymore either. If he loses control again when they are present, they could be caught in the crossfire as well."

"You can stop speaking to me like I'm not here whenever you'd like, and honestly, it was most likely Mikey that set him off. Seeing your mate in that situation would be extremely stressful for anyone, so I highly doubt being around his friends will bring on another resurgence of his powers," Quinn argued, and although Pete appreciated his cousin for defending him so valiantly, he wished they would all just shut up and leave him alone.

"Still, I don't want those boys at risk -"

"Have you forgotten that they can make their own decisions?" Quinn cut Lindsey off, his voice breaking slightly in a way that Pete so rarely heard since his cousin was typically very contained with his emotions. "They are his friends, and they should be able to choose if they want to spend time with him or not. Pete's life is already ruined, and taking away his only two companions will do nothing but make it worse on him."

Pete sniffled quietly at Quinn's words, but honestly, he was _right_. Pete had nothing left now, his mate was forever barred from him, and even if Pete could win his affections, which would be a miraculous feat, they would never be properly bonded. Judging from what he was overhearing, he would most likely be under house arrest for the remainder of his time in the coven as well, and no amount of company would take away the sting of that, so really, Pete didn't see any reason to stay here any longer.

If he did, Pete would only become a shadow of his mother, alone, unloved, crazed even, with no purpose for existing at all. He'd become a burden to Quinn eventually, who Pete knew craved solitude at most times, which was the exact opposite of Pete who was much more social.

They wouldn't work well together, especially not after Pete was feeling more like himself, and it was only a matter of time before Quinn would regret taking him in, which would most likely end with him sentenced to a home occupied by his mother who had spurred him into this madness in the first place with no one besides a guard to while away the hours with.

Pete briefly debated leaving New Jersey when he was able to, of living alone which is what he was destined to do either way. The idea didn't settle right with him, he wasn't fond of painting himself as a coward that ran away from the only people he'd ever cared for. Brendon would worry, and he'd miss him dearly, not to mention he chaffed at the idea of abandoning the coven without at least trying to apologize to Mikey for the atrocities he had committed.

Pete would most likely be banned from seeing Mikey again though, not unless the other vampire asked to visit him, which he wouldn't of course, so Pete would probably never be able to speak the words that he longed to say to Mikey, no matter how paltry and ineffective they would be in the end. He just wanted Mikey to know that he hadn't meant to hurt either him or Ray, and that he'd do anything to take it back, to turn his powers on himself if he could, and maybe after that, he could find something else to live for, or he could pretend to at least.

The conversation was still continuing in the other room, but Pete didn't want to hear anymore, so with a sigh that seemed to start from his toes, he buried his face into his pillow, covering his ears with his hands as he tried to convince himself that he was somewhere else, someone else, or maybe he was attempting to stop existing entirely.


	34. Belated But Not Unexpected

Mikey's hand shook constantly as he gripped the thin pen between his nimble fingers, even the supposedly simple act of forming words on a page leaving him drained and exhausted.

It was late, late enough that most humans would consider the hour to be early, although the exact time eluded Mikey's muddled mind.

Mikey's eyes blurred with tears as he came to the end of his short letter, the choppy sentences flickering across his mind briefly as he tried to remember what he had written only for the meaning to escape him as he attempted to read his note through the water obscuring his vision.

After spending far too long staring at the page and still retaining none of it, Mikey decided that it would have to be good enough, if such a thing even applied for this situation. There was nothing good about it, especially not for the person the letter was addressed to, but Mikey was finished, worn out, overwhelmed, he had nothing left to give besides a paltry explanation that would most likely be meaningless in the end.

Mikey hadn't wanted things to come to this point of course, but a part of him had always known that this was inevitable. Every day after Ray's death had been a pointless attempt at placating Gerard, at making him happy, of keeping a promise that Mikey should never have agreed to in the first place.

Because this was it, Mikey was done with existing without his mate, of suffering through countless hours with no hope of relief. That was what his life had become now that Ray was dead, and he knew it wasn't going to get better, no matter how many times Gerard swore it would. Nothing would ever be all right again until he was reunited with Ray, and although he had no guarantee that killing himself would return him to Ray's side, he had to at least try.

The afterlife was a commonly debated subject among vampires; some were certain that all vampires would meet with the previously deceased if they had shed blood during their funeral rites, while others argued that there wasn't enough proof to know for sure, but Mikey was more than willing to take the plunge and discover the truth for himself.

Mikey detested the fact that he would have to hurt Gerard with his actions, he had sworn to him after all that he would stay strong for him, that he wouldn't leave him alone, but _really_ , he was only bringing Gerard down. He would be better off without worrying about him constantly, he would be free to focus on Frank, he would recover eventually, but Mikey wouldn't, not without Ray.

And in a way, Mikey hadn't said he would stay alive, only that he'd _try_ , but he was aware that Gerard was clinging to his vague statement, that the majority of his time was spent taking care of Mikey, of trying to convince him that there were still things in the world that made it worthwhile, and Mikey had let him believe that his attempts were working, which might not have been the best decision on his part.

Maybe he should have been more upfront with Gerard from the beginning, at least then he would be more prepared for this, but it was too late to remedy the situation now. Mikey didn't want to wait another night to end things, he had put this off for long enough, and now every fiber of his being was craving for oblivion and a respite from the emotional agony that assaulted him daily.

Mikey didn't even feel like himself anymore, and in a manner of speaking, he _wasn't_. Gone was the person he used to be, the stubborn, optimistic, determined vampire that was once mated to Ray had been torn away from him, leaving a shell composed of pain and emptiness in its place, and honestly, Mikey was already dead, his body just hadn't gotten the message yet.

Mikey was simply finishing an incomplete job by taking this next step, and as much as he loved Gerard, he couldn't stay just for him. He had tried to, but during moments like this, with his brother asleep and memories of Ray tearing at his brain with a bright hot intensity that left him trembling and aching, Mikey knew that he was doing the right thing, and Gerard would hopefully understand that eventually.

So after folding his note in half and scribbling Gerard's name onto it hastily, Mikey tugged on a pair of shoes and made his way outside, planning to spend his last few moments alive as close to Ray as he physically could be before the sun rose and turned him into nothing more than ash and dust.

~~~

Pete Wentz had done many stupid things in his life, more than he could count in fact, but this might be the most foolish thing he had ever attempted, or maybe not, because as idiotic as Pete felt sneaking out of Quinn's house on silent feet, it also seemed _right_ , like he was supposed to carry on with his earlier decision, or perhaps he was just trying to convince himself that he wasn't about to fuck things up any more than he already had.

Because Pete was going to apologize to Mikey tonight, if he would let him that is, and nothing was going to stop him; not Quinn telling him he wasn't allowed to leave his home without permission, not the fear that was coiling in his belly as he considering being caught, not even the thought of Mikey refusing to speak with him.

Pete really hadn't thought he'd go through with this, because it wasn't going to end well, that he was sure of, but after spending half of the night attempting to read a book since he couldn't think of anything else with which to while away his time, Pete had given in to his desire to see his mate again, waiting until Quinn fell asleep before making his way outside and turning his steps in the direction of the street Mikey lived on.

Pete made sure to keep to the shadows as he hurried through the mostly quiet coven just in case one of the few people who were still up and about recognized him. It was very late now though, the sun should be rising within the hour, so luckily for Pete, most everyone had already retired to their beds, leaving him free to implement his impromptu task without any interruptions.

Pete prepared himself for disappointment once Mikey's house came into view, because the lights were off and the curtains were drawn. Realistically, Mikey was most likely asleep, and even if he wasn't, he probably wouldn't open his door for Pete.

Pete had asked about Mikey occasionally during Brendon and Ryan's visits, desperate to discover how he was holding up, but although Brendon had smiled and promised Pete that he was hanging in there, Pete could sense the falsity to his tone, and he knew he had wounded Mikey in a manner that might never be repaired.

Pete realized that this apology attempt wouldn't fix anything, that Mikey didn't - probably _wouldn't_ forgive him, but currently, none of that mattered. Pete was the sort of person that hated living with regrets, and if he truly was going to be sequestered away from the rest of the coven soon, which Quinn had brought up once he had begun to heal enough to move around, then Pete had to do this before it was too late.

Pete hesitated for a moment though, pausing in place as if waiting for the world to give him a sign that he had made a mistake, that he should turn around now before he caused Mikey any more pain.

Just when Pete was gathering his courage to move again, the door to Mikey's home creaked open, followed by Mikey himself who glanced both ways furtively before heading toward the back entrance of the coven, his long legs taking such quick strides that Pete barely had the chance to register his presence before Mikey had disappeared from view.

Pete's mouth dropped open as he tried to force his mind to reboot, his body automatically starting to trail after Mikey without any conscious effort on his part, staying a few feet back so Mikey wouldn't notice that he was being followed.

Pete watched as Mikey snuck out the rear gate, and although he briefly wondered how Mikey had known that it was open since that was a decently well-kept secret, it wasn't important. Pete had more worrisome things to occupy his mind, such as why Mikey was leaving the coven, and if he was going to pursue him with sunrise not far off.

Really though, it wasn't a hard decision; Pete would follow Mikey anywhere, and he hadn't come this far to back out now, so with a bracing inhalation, Pete made his way up to the gate, and after fumbling with the lock for a brief moment, he hurried in the direction Mikey had headed in.

For the first time in far too long, Pete felt like he had a purpose, even if his goal was only to deliver a meager apology, but _still_ , it was something.

Just for tonight, he wasn't a waste of space, or a burden to Quinn, or a madman, he was just Pete, and _yes_ \- he might be acting lovesick and ridiculous, but that was so much better than wasting away in a room that was more of a prison than anything else.

~~~

"You can stop hiding, I know you're there," Mikey sighed, making sure to project his voice slightly as he curled his arms tightly around his knees, keeping his back pressed firmly against the tree he was leaning on as if that would stop whoever was here from forcing him to leave this place.

One of Mikey's eyebrows quirked up slightly when Pete walked into the clearing with a sheepish look on his face, because _really_ , Mikey had been expecting Gerard, or maybe Brendon, but definitely not the vampire who had killed his mate.

"Hey - um, sorry...I can go if you want," Pete started stammering before Mikey could ask him what he was doing here. "I just really want to talk to you, and I shouldn't even be here at all, but I couldn't sleep, and if you want me to fuck off, I will, but I -"

"It's fine," Mikey shrugged, because he honestly wasn't all that bothered by Pete's unexpected arrival. It was a bit odd, but in a way, Mikey didn't want to spend his last few minutes alive alone. "You can stay, but don't try and convince me to go back to the coven, it won't work."

Pete nodded shakily, almost as if he was afraid of Mikey, which was borderline hilarious to him in his current state, but Mikey held back his laughter as Pete shuffled closer, seating himself carefully next to Mikey, stirring up the dead leaves that littered the forest floor in the process.

Mikey sighed under his breath when Pete remained silent, his eyes returning to the spot he had been staring at before he'd been interrupted.

To anyone that wasn't Mikey, the area held no special significance. It was just withered grass with hints of half melted snow at the edges, but to Mikey, it was where he had last seen Ray, where he had said his final goodbye, where he swore he could still make out faint splatters of the blood he had shed during the funeral ritual.

"You know...you should go back soon," Pete whispered quietly, "and not because I am going to make you, but it's almost daylight, so you can't really stay out here much longer."

"Don't tell me you're really that naïve?" Mikey scoffed, although there was no true malice in his tone. He was too exhausted to muster up anger, too empty to even remember what spite felt like, all he knew now was agony and loneliness.

"What do you - _oh_..." Pete gasped sharply, his hand flying up to cover his mouth as his dark eyes met Mikey's briefly, a sheen of what might have been tears causing them to shimmer slightly.

It was only then that Mikey recalled the fact that Pete had indeed mated with him. A part of him debated on softening the blow of his words, of trying to tell Pete that he would be fine without him, but honestly, he didn't have the energy left to try and comfort anyone else at the moment.

"Is it really that surprising?" Mikey settled on saying when Pete began to sniffle quietly, hoping to derail this situation before Pete began to cry properly.

"Well...no, I guess not," Pete answered, "I just didn't think that was what you were doing when I followed you out here."

"Well then why did you come if not to talk me out of this?"

"Because I wanted to say I'm sorry," Pete admitted after a long period of silence, "and I know that's stupid, honestly, I'm surprised you're even allowing me to talk to you, but just...I never meant to hurt Ray, or you. I'd do anything to take it back if I could, but I can't. All I have left is words which mean nothing. I hate myself for killing Ray, and now I've practically killed you as well, but I didn't want this, it wasn't planned, I just love you so much that I snapped I guess. I wish this hadn't happened, that I'd never seen you, that you and Ray were together right now... _fuck_ \- I am so sorry for everything."

"It's not your fault," Mikey said gently when Pete became too choked up to continue, "I know you didn't do it on purpose, and even though I probably should be angry with you, I'm not."

"How is that possible?" Pete asked, his tone radiating shock and disbelief. "If I were you, I'd hate me, _hell_ \- I sort of hate myself. I thought talking to you would help me move on, to get over it, but it isn't, and now I'm just rambling to you when you most likely want to be left alone...I should leave," Pete spat out all in a rush, his legs straightening as he attempted to lift himself from the slightly icy ground.

"I don't hate you because it doesn't change anything." Mikey raised the volume of his voice, his statement halting Pete's movements so suddenly it was as if he had ordered him to stay. "It won't bring Ray back, it won't make me feel any better, so I just don't," Mikey sighed, his gaze training on the sky which was beginning to lighten ever so slightly. "In fact, if I'm being completely honest, I don't feel much of anything lately."

"So if you don't feel anything, why are you going to kill yourself?" Pete asked hesitantly. "I mean, isn't that a sign that you're healing, or accepting what happened? It still doesn't sound pleasant of course, but that has to be an improvement over being upset."

"It's really not though," Mikey groaned, one half of him screaming for Pete to drop it so he wouldn't have to put his internal torment into words, but the other side of him wanted to lay it out plainly, maybe that way the last residual tendrils of guilt that were wrapping around his insides would stop plaguing him every time he imagined Gerard's reaction when he woke up. "I'm miserable like this, I'm empty, and aching...I'm not even myself anymore. This isn't living, and I've tried to fight through this, I really have, but I know it isn't going to disappear eventually. I lost my other half, the person I love with all of my heart, and that isn't something that I can recover from, so that is why I'm ending things. I'd rather take this chance of being with Ray again than have Gerard and Brendon tug me through the motions of being alive for the next thousand years."

"Oh...that makes sense I guess," Pete heaved out, his sentence seeming to be ripped from his chest forcibly in a manner that left Mikey wincing sympathetically, "I just wish you didn't have to die, I don't want you to go."

"This seems like the part where I'm supposed to say I'm sorry, but I'm not. I'm aware I'm being selfish, and that my death will hurt people...especially my brother, but I need to do this."

"How did you decide?" Pete questioned unexpectedly, his query confusing Mikey, but maybe that was simply because he had known his death was near from the moment Ray had passed away in front of him. "I mean...when did you figure out that killing yourself would be the best option?"

"There wasn't any specific second of realization," Mikey answered slowly, "it was just inevitable. I can't live without Ray, but I tried to for the people I loved. It's not enough though, as much as I hate to say it."

"And when you die...will I feel the same?"

"No - I promise Pete, you will move on. We aren't bonded by blood, and honestly, I'm just a stranger to you. I will fade from your mind, maybe you'll even find someone else who makes you happy eventually. I'll be a blip in your life in a few hundred years."

"I doubt that," Pete scoffed harshly, his body shifting slightly nearer to Mikey's when a harsh gust of wind blew through the small clearing. "You are my mate, and even if I'm not yours, that will always mean something to me, especially now when I've lost everything else."

"You what?" Mikey asked, a spark of concern fizzling through his mind briefly.

Mikey was still unsure why he had allowed this conversation go on for so long, he definitely hadn't planned to have a heart to heart with the person who had killed his mate minutes before his own death, but he had to admit that Pete was decent company, and he did feel sorry for him since he was taking away his only chance at true love by ridding the world of himself.

"I - I'm going to be locked away soon I think...because of my powers. I shouldn't complain about it really, but my life is practically over now. I am a murderer, even if it was unintentional, and that will follow me to my grave. I'll be kept clear of everyone, always under guard, viewed as crazy wherever I go, and maybe I am. I'm not arguing with my sentence, it's fair considering what I've done. I deserve this punishment, I just honestly don't think I can live with it without truly going insane."

"Pete..." Mikey exhaled heavily, the severity of his situation hitting him harder than he thought it would.

Mikey shouldn't care for Pete at all, but it was almost impossible not to feel sympathy for the sad, young vampire that was curling in on himself as a single tear slipped down his face.

"I've been thinking about it too," Pete confessed quietly, his voice emerging in such a soft whisper that Mikey barely caught his words, "killing myself that is. I considered running away, but I have nowhere to go, and I - I just...I don't like who I've become. I don't want to be this psychotic person that hurts people whenever I get angry, so maybe it would be for the best to just remove myself before anyone else suffers because of me."

Before Mikey realized what he had done, he was pulling Pete against his chest, his lanky arms wrapping around the other vampire as he inhaled shakily, the sound preluding the sobs that Mikey could almost see attempting to push their way out of Pete's chest.

Mikey had no words with which to comfort Pete with, not when he was so lost and broken himself, but he allowed him the reassurance of his touch, and even if Pete was the last person he should be embracing, he felt slightly more at peace when Pete snuggled deeper into his hold.

"It will get better," Mikey lied, because honestly, he didn't see how it would. He had seen how Gerard's powers had changed him, and his were nowhere near as dangerous as Pete's, but his falsity had good intentions behind it, and maybe Pete really would find some joy even with everything he had working against him, "but you should leave soon, the sun will be coming up any minute now, and I can't condone you staying here with me. You're too young to give up just yet."

"I don't want to go back," Pete mumbled against Mikey's chest. "You told me not to try and make you do that, so now I'm asking the same thing of you. I'm not a child, I know what I'm doing, and for once, I think I am making the right choice."

"I don't want you to think that killing yourself is okay just because I am," Mikey argued feebly, his eyes beginning to sting slightly as the sky brightened to the lightest shade of blue that he had ever personally witnessed.

"That's not why...like you said, this was probably inevitable for me as well. Maybe I would have waited longer if I hadn't followed you tonight, maybe I would have changed my mind eventually, but - _fuck_ , I don't know how to explain this, but if death is the only way that I can retain my freedom, then I'm going to do it. It isn't just because of you, it's because everything else is ruined as well, and without a mate or a future to look forward to, I just want to disappear."

Mikey simply nodded stiffly as Pete pulled away from him. He had no idea what else to say to make Pete change his mind, and when he viewed his resolute expression, he had a feeling that Pete wouldn't be persuaded. Saving Pete wasn't his responsibly, nothing was anymore, and if he couldn't convince himself to stay alive, then he wasn't going to make that choice for Pete either.

"The sun will be up soon yeah?" Pete asked, and no matter how hard Mikey strained to pick out a hint of fear in Pete's tone, he came up with nothing besides acceptance.

"Yes...any minute now."

Mikey turned his attention back to the ground briefly, trying to make out the imprint of where Ray's body had once lain. Pete seemed to notice what he was doing, and when he squeezed Mikey's hand briefly, Mikey sent him a weak smile, allowing the younger man to entwine their fingers as his skin began to burn when the first ray of sunlight made its way into the clearing.

"I hope you find Ray again," Pete whispered, his head dropping down to rest on Mikey's shoulder as a brief shudder wracked his frame.

"And I hope you find happiness."

And even as the temperature became unbearably warm and Mikey's lids were forced to close in a feeble attempt to protect his corneas from the brilliant daylight that was quickly bringing about his demise, he found himself genuinely smiling for the first time in far too long, because no amount of physical pain could ever compare to the relief he felt as his body slowly began to turn to ash and his mind disconnected from the ever present loss that surrounded him.

Mikey kept his grip on Pete until he could no longer feel his limbs, turning his head at the last second to press a soft kiss to Pete's forehead that singed his damaged skin. He could never love Pete, but that wasn't why Pete had stayed with him.

They were both searching for something that was out of reach for them while they were still alive, and with his last conscious breath, Mikey mouthed a prayer asking for them both to be granted their desires wherever they ended up.

~~~

Gerard started awake suddenly, his mind reeling as he tried to process what had jolted him out of one of the few periods of rest he was graced with during which no nightmares plagued him.

It took him a few seconds to register the harsh pounding making its way throughout the house, and before he could move to get up and answer the door, he heard it creak open on its own, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps that were heading in his direction.

By the time Gerard had sat up and managed to rub the sleep from his eyes, his vision was filled with the sight of a frantic looking Brendon barging into his room with Ryan close on his heels.

"What's going on?" Gerard muttered groggily, his brain still foggy, and muddled, and so fucking confused, and the panicked looks on his friend's faces weren't helping matters any.

"Have you seen Pete?" Brendon blurted out, his voice ragged and breathless, the obvious fear pouring off of him inundating the room and leaving Gerard agitated and nervous in its wake.

"I'm sorry for bursting into your house like this," Ryan added on as Gerard shook his head no, "but we went to visit Pete earlier only to find that he was gone. We thought that maybe he would have tried to come and see Mikey. He's been asking about him a lot lately, and really, we don't know where else he would have gone."

"I didn't notice anything, but I've been asleep, so he might be in Mikey's room." Gerard forced his tired limbs into motion, motioning for Brendon and Ryan to join him as he shuffled across the slightly chilly floorboards, making his way down the hall, straining his ears for any signs of either Pete or Mikey, but the house was oddly silent if you ignored their hushed breathing.

"Mikey?" Gerard called out when he reached his door which was ajar. He received no answer, and when he pushed the wooden obstruction open further with one trembling hand, he found it empty as well, which caused his stomach to roil uncomfortably as he turned back around to face Brendon and Ryan. "Maybe they went somewhere together? I don't think Mikey would really be up for leaving the house though..."

"Wait...what's that on the bed?" Ryan pointed out, his slender finger drawing Gerard's attention to a folded piece of paper resting on top of Mikey's pillow that seemed to have his name inked across the top of it.

" _Shit_..." Gerard exhaled, his body darting forward before he even realized he was moving.

Terror was bubbling inside of him now, because deep down, Gerard knew what had happened, he had been dreading exactly this for weeks, but _still_ , he dared to hope that Mikey had just gone for a walk and he would return at any moment now.

But any positive thoughts that Gerard carried shriveled into dust as he unfolded the letter that was addressed to him, his eyes devouring the words even as they started stinging painfully, his teeth digging into his bottom lip as he read the note that he wished had never been written in the first place.

**_Gerard:_ **

**_I'm not sure what you're feeling right now, but I'm going to assume that you've woken up and found that I'm missing._ **

**_I think you can guess what has happened, but just so you know, I've finally given in._ **

**_I can't do this anymore, so by the time you find this, I will most likely be a pile of ash._ **

**_I hope you had some sort of inkling that this was coming, I did, but still, I feel the need to apologize to you before the end. I tried so hard to stay for you, to find a way to function, but I've failed._ **

**_I never thought I would be the person to break promises, to hurt my brother who means the world to me, to give up when things go wrong, and maybe I wasn't until recently._ **

**_Losing Ray has changed me though, I'm no longer the brother you knew, I am destroyed, so I have to do this before I ruin you as well in the process._ **

**_I don't want you to blame yourself - please, let me go if you can. I hate that my death will pain you, but I really am in a better place, I'm sure of it._ **

**_You'd assume that with how long I have been debating over doing this that I would know what to say to you, but I don't. I have a thousand final thoughts to impart to you, but all of them have escaped me the second I pressed pen to paper._ **

**_My mind is blank, my thoughts are empty, that seems to be an eternal state of mind for me lately._ **

**_I think I've done it to protect myself, to stop remembering Ray and what we can never again experience._ **

**_It hasn't really worked though, I still miss him every second of every day, I can barely move or speak without being reminded of him in some fashion. It's torture, endless agony, and as much as I love you, I can't subject myself or you to that for the rest of my life._ **

**_I know this has wounded you, that my loss won't be easy to accept, but you're strong Gerard._ **

**_Please don't let this destroy you, I couldn't bear that, and even now that I'm gone, I still love you with all of my heart. All I want is for you to find joy, which would have been unattainable if you constantly had to watch over me._ **

**_Please remember the good things in your life, think of Frank instead of your sorrow. I want you to try and find a way to be with him, because no matter how many obstacles stand in your way, he is your mate, and the love and happiness you receive from him will be worth everything in the end - I promise._ **

**_I have to end this before it becomes unreadable. I wish more than anything that I wasn't doing this to you, but as I stated before, we both saw this parting coming._ **

**_I was tempted to say my goodbyes in person, but you would have tried to stop me, and I couldn't let that happen._ **

**_Don't give up Gerard, don't mourn me for too long, because I am hopefully with Ray now, which is where I belong, and I pray you'll find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving you._ **

**_I've repeated this too many times, but I do love you, and my decision to end my life will never change that._ **

**_\- Mikey_ **

"Gerard?" Ryan questioned tersely when Gerard began to tremble violently, his hand resting gently on Gerard's shoulder as he spoke, the reminder that he wasn't alone causing Gerard to flinch backward suddenly as he clutched the letter close to his chest.

"Mikey...he - he killed himself, he's _dead_ ," Gerard choked out roughly, the words tearing at his throat, leaving him weak and dizzy once he heard them echoed back against the walls that seemed to be closing in on him.

" _Fuck_ ," Brendon cursed hotly, his eyes watering slightly as he rushed to Gerard's side, his hand supporting him as his knees wobbled and he fell onto the bed heavily. "I'm so sorry."

"I - I mean, it's not unexpected," Gerard whimpered, "but I didn't think...he seemed to be doing a bit better you know?"

"Here, lie down," Ryan motioned, helping Gerard lift his legs up onto the mattress before prying Mikey's note from his hands gently, setting it on the nearby dresser as Gerard watched numbly. "Do you need anything, or someone maybe?"

"No...just - _fuck_ , don't leave me yet," Gerard sniffled, the tears that were welling inside of him refusing to surface, leaving a bitter ache inside of his heart that was so utterly overwhelming, Gerard was left stunned and speechless because of it.

"We won't," Ryan promised, his hand pressing against Gerard's spine in a soothing manner as Gerard squeezed his lids shut, pretending that the darkness would save him from reality for a few more moments, and surprisingly enough, it seemed to be working, or maybe Gerard was just in shock.

"Do you think Pete went with him?" Brendon whispered to Ryan, their conversation meaning nothing to Gerard as he tried to comprehend the fact that his brother was now dead, that he was more alone than he'd ever been in his entire life, and even though he tried to follow Mikey's advice and remember that he still had Frank, it didn't help the heavy weight on his chest that was threatening to crush him.

"I don't know...I doubt Pete would kill himself, but if he knew his mate was about to do the same thing then...I really can't say," Ryan sighed, "and it's not like we can go look for him now, the sun won't set for another hour or so."

"Gerard, do you know where Mikey would have gone?" Brendon asked tentatively, his obvious concern for his friend warring with his pity for Gerard.

Gerard forced himself to think, although that task was almost impossible for his tortured mind at the moment, but he had to remember that Mikey was dead now, that there was nothing he could do for him, so maybe he could help Brendon and Ryan find Pete at the very least.

"The clearing where Ray was laid to rest, that's where he did it, I'm sure," Gerard croaked out. "We haven't been here long enough for anywhere else to hold meaning to him, and he would have wanted to be as close to Ray as possible."

"Thank you, we'll check there, maybe he got caught by the sun and had to hide out for the day." Brendon tried to smile, but the expression fell as soon as it formed. "Honestly though Gerard, I really am sorry. You've been through so much lately, and this isn't fair to you, but hopefully Mikey is with his mate again."

"That's what he said in his letter, _fuck_ \- I just wish I was enough, that I didn't have to lose him too you know?" Gerard wailed quietly, his shoulders hunching inward as a fresh wave of pain assaulted him.

"It's okay to cry Gerard, you don't have to hold it together for us," Ryan hummed soothingly, his hand never stopping its soft motion across Gerard's back.

And as much as Gerard wanted to, the sobs that were choking him never came. He was too wounded to shed tears, too shattered to remember how to breathe.

This seemed like the end, similar to death, and Gerard honestly didn't know how to deal with it. Maybe this was how Mikey felt, and if it was, Gerard didn't blame him for ending his life, because he would do anything to stop this eternal torment.

His understanding didn't make Mikey's loss hurt any less though, but at least he had escaped from the endless tragedies that constantly fell upon the living.

Gerard wouldn't wish this agony on anyone, so if Mikey had to hurt him to avoid this pain, he wouldn't begrudge him that. He only wished he had reached the point where he was able to end himself as well, but as long as Frank existed in the world, he would keep fighting, even if this battle was killing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there I return with character deaths.
> 
> Honestly this might not be my best work I really am not in a great place lately and writing is a struggle. This took me over a week to finish because I'm having to do small chunks at a time when I can manage it, but I'm determined to keep writing and hopefully this doesn't seem too choppy or rushed.
> 
> A huge thank you to everyone for being so patient with me xo


	35. Four And Fear And Fire

The next few hours were a muddled blur of tears and agony for Gerard. He didn't know how much time had passed since he'd found Mikey's letter, or how long he had spent curled up in his bed as one of the last remaining pillars supporting his fragile grip on sanity fell to dust, but it didn't matter really, nothing did besides Frank, but even the thought of his mate brought him no comfort when he was banned from seeing him.

Eventually, Gerard lifted his head from Mikey's pillow, his bleary eyes meeting Ryan's sympathetic gaze briefly. He felt slightly guilty for keeping the other vampire here, especially when his worry for Pete had to be gnawing away at him, but Gerard couldn't bear to be left on his own right now, that would surely break him completely.

"Where's Brendon?" Gerard croaked out when he realized that the man was nowhere to be seen.

"He went out a little while ago to inform Bert of what's happened and to ask for his help in looking for Pete. The sun has set now, so maybe he'll come back with good news," Ryan smiled hopefully, but Gerard didn't share his positive attitude.

"Mikey wouldn't let anything change his mind, not after writing this," Gerard sighed, knowing somehow that Mikey was truly dead. Siblings might not share a bond like mates did, but Gerard was connected to him in a similar fashion, and he could feel his absence gaping in the center of his chest. "Mikey's stubborn, and without Ray, he was always going to end up doing this eventually, I was just stupid enough to convince myself that he wouldn't."

"Don't say that Gerard, you did the best that you could, and he lasted for much longer than most people that lose their mates," Ryan soothed him. "He loved you, and he tried so hard to stay for you. I know this probably doesn't help at all, but he's in a better place now, and he's happy, which he would never truly be while he was still alive."

Gerard mulled over what to say as a reply, but before he could gather his scattered thoughts, the sound of the front door opening interrupted their hushed conversation.

"Is that Brendon?" Gerard asked, an irritating bubble of hope unfurling inside of him even though Gerard was certain that Mikey was dead, but _still_ \- maybe something, or _someone_ had managed to change his mind before the end.

"I think so," Ryan nodded, his face crumpling slightly when the sound of stifled sobs filled both of their ears.

"You can go to him, I'll be fine," Gerard promised when Ryan shifted uncomfortably, earning himself a grateful smile from the other vampire before he rushed into the main room.

Gerard didn't need to ask Brendon what he had found, his cries were answer enough. Gerard could almost picture the scene Brendon had discovered, not that it took much imagination to envision two dwindling piles of ash slightly hidden by the snow, if it was still falling that is, Gerard hadn't been outside in so long he couldn't even be sure of the season anymore.

Gerard sniffled softly to himself as his own eyes began stinging again, but no proper tears fell yet. Gerard was too empty to produce them, Mikey's death had completely gutted him, and Gerard had no idea how to repair this all encompassing wound.

In a desperate attempt to hold himself together while Brendon appeared to be falling apart in the next room, Gerard removed himself from Mikey's bed, the simple act using up a ridiculous amount of effort. Channeling all the energy he had left, Gerard made it back to his room, his numb fingers fumbling for his phone which he kept hidden away underneath his mattress.

Gerard inhaled heavily as he dialed one of the two numbers he had saved to his contacts, the other being Mikey's, his throat closing up as the now familiar ringing sound filled his ears while he waited for Frank to pick up.

Gerard wasn't sure if speaking with Frank was the best idea right now, especially given how tumultuous his emotions were at the moment, but he needed to hear his voice, he craved the reminder that there was still something in this world worth living for, so he wasn't going to stop himself even though a part of him was afraid that Frank wouldn't want to deal with him while he was like this.

"Gerard?" Frank answered almost immediately, his tone emitting shaky and slightly nervous as well, but Gerard could tell thanks to the bundle of emotions buried in the back of his skull that Frank was truly relieved and a bit overcome in all actuality.

"Yeah...it's me - hi," Gerard croaked out.

It had been almost a week since he had called Frank, they had been texting mostly instead, but lately it seemed like he didn't have much to say to him besides that he missed him and he wished he could see him again, to which Frank usually responded that he did too but he still wasn't willing to leave town to make that happen.

"Hey...what's wrong?" Frank cooed, his sympathetic tone arrowing into Gerard almost as if Frank was here with him, giving him the smallest amount of relief from the heaviness that was weighing down his limbs.

"I - it's...my brother killed himself," Gerard whimpered without any further preamble since he had no idea how to introduce the horror he was currently living through, "I'm sorry I phoned you, but _fuck_ \- it hurts Frank, and I don't know what to do now."

"Oh baby," Frank gasped, his use of the pet name causing Gerard to wrap his arms around his waist, his longing for Frank's presence intensifying so much it was physically painful, "is this your brother whose mate died recently?" Frank asked hesitantly.

Gerard mumbled something that he hoped Frank took as an affirmative, the sobs that he hadn't been able to produce earlier welling up now that he was speaking with his mate.

"He - it's normal...sort of, when vampires lose their mates, we give up on living. I can't remember one that has survived for long, but Mikey made it a few weeks...and I thought - I mean..." Gerard trailed off as a few tears slipped down his cheeks, his lungs constricting and his eyes burning as he hunched in on himself as if that would somehow lessen his emotional distress.

"Gerard, you can cry, it's okay to let it out, I'm here for you."

With those words, Gerard lost the last shreds of his composure. A tortured wail ripped its way out of his throat as he released everything he had attempted to bury inside himself. He was unable to hold his pathetic sounds of misery back as Frank whispered calming words to him, and although Gerard could barely catch their meaning over his own harsh gasps for air and pitiful cries, he didn't need to, because it was Frank saying them, and their nature didn't matter as long as they came from his mate.

Gerard had no idea how many minutes had slipped away from him before his sobs quieted and he was reduced to quiet sniffles, but it felt like years since he had first decided to call Frank. Frank was still on the line though, in fact, he seemed to be humming an unfamiliar tune, and the soft cadence of the nameless piece managed to soothe Gerard's internal agony more than anything else probably would have except for Frank's arms around him.

"I'm sorry, I'm such a mess," Gerard sighed, his hand shifting the phone closer to his ear so he could hear Frank better now that he was slightly more composed.

"You don't have to apologize Gerard, honestly," Frank answered sincerely. "I'm so sorry for your loss, and I wish I could help you in some way. I can't pretend to empathize with you, but I love you, and I'll do whatever I can to ease you through this even if I'm trapped on the end of a phone line."

"You - _you love me?_ " Gerard gasped shakily, his head reeling as he tried to replay Frank's statement, making sure he had heard him correctly and that he wasn't just projecting his desires onto this situation.

"I do...I really fucking do," Frank reiterated, "and I know I shouldn't be saying this, especially now that we can't see each other and with everything else you're going through, but fuck Gerard - it's been two weeks since I've seen you last and I can't get you out of my head. I don't know what else to call this, but it has to be love."

"I love you too, I've loved you since day one, and I'll love you until I die," Gerard whispered, every word ringing true, and he could tell that Frank believed him by his hitched intake of breath.

"I want to see you again, I _need_ to," Frank admitted. "Can we try and meet up somewhere far away from your coven? I still can't leave my practice, but I'm going insane without you Gerard."

"Fuck Frank, I am too. I'll try to work something out, I'll beg Lindsey to make an exception, but I can't put you in danger. Maybe after everything that's happened to me, she'll be lenient...she has to."

"I want to kiss you again," Frank murmured, his voice fading away as if he was picturing it as he spoke, "and hold you, and be near you. I don't care if you are a vampire, or how much danger this will put me in, but I can't keep pretending everything is fine when my heart breaks a little more each day without you."

"Oh sugar," Gerard whispered so quietly he wasn't sure if Frank could hear him. "I'll find a way to make this work, but not until I can promise that you'll be safe. Just trust me alright, I swore I would protect you, and I will, no matter what."

"I do, I shouldn't, but I do," Frank giggled airily, the sound lightening their heavy conversation, leaving Gerard smiling even after the horrific evening he'd had.

And as Frank continued to chat with him in an attempt to distract Gerard from the tragedies that seemed to be constantly tripping him up, he felt himself becoming imbued with a new sense of direction in his chaotic life.

Mikey was right when he said to focus on Frank, and although Gerard was going to be mourning his brother for a long time to come, he was certain he could heal from his loss eventually if he found a way to be reunited with his mate again.

~~~

The next opportunity Gerard had to speak with Lindsey was at Pete and Mikey's memorial ceremony. Since they had both chosen to be burned by the sun, there were no bodies left on which to perform the traditional vampire death rites, but the coven still held a small service for them during which they honored the two vampires who were hopefully in a better place as Ryan had said.

Gerard spent most of the evening in a bit of a haze, the well wishes and condolences from strangers following him everywhere as he tried to let the fact sink in that he would never see his brother again.

Gerard knew he was gone, the gaping hole in his chest wouldn't let him forget that fact, but _still_ \- Gerard found himself waking up and instantly going to Mikey's room as if he would somehow be occupying it and the last few days would have been nothing more than a terrible nightmare.

He managed to keep his emotions in check though, mostly since he was pushing away his sadness with the hope that Lindsey would take pity on him and grant him his request to see Frank. It was a longshot of course, and Gerard was aware that placing all of his faith in this endeavor was foolish at best, but Gerard had nothing left to cling onto but Frank.

Gerard waited until Lindsey was alone before approaching her, his hands shaking nervously as he made his way over to her side. He stuffed them in his pockets as he approached, clenching them into tight fists as Lindsey turned to him with a sorrowful smile pulling at her red painted lips.

"Gerard," Lindsey nodded cordially before she paused, obviously waiting for him to say something, but he had seemed to misplaced his voice, so she continued speaking to fill the silence. "I wish I had something else to bestow on you besides pointless apologies. I know it won't help, but just remember that the entire coven is grieving along with you. This shouldn't have happened, but at least we can take comfort in the knowledge that Pete can't hurt anyone ever again, and hopefully your brother has been reunited with his mate."

"Thank you," Gerard croaked out, the gratitude stinging at his throat, his resentment for the woman that was keeping him from his mate bubbling up inside him, but he buried it back down. It wouldn't help him in this situation, and he had to keep his temper if he had any chance of seeing Frank again. "I don't blame Pete though," Gerard added on, not really thinking of his words before they were falling past his lips. "It wasn't his fault, none of this is."

"Well then," Lindsey shrugged, the cool gesture infuriating Gerard for some reason, or maybe it was simply everything about Lindsey that did that, "you have a kinder heart than I do. He was a sweet child, and I did care for him, but I would never be able to forgive the person who took someone I loved from me."

Gerard couldn't think of a response to that which wasn't _'I know'_ , or _'well you're doing the same to me by refusing to let me see Frank'_ so he simply swallowed heavily instead, bracing himself as he prepared to voice his next question, the answer to which he was sure he already knew, but he had promised Frank that he'd try.

"I - I have a favor to ask you," Gerard spoke up as Lindsey started to walk away, his heart beating so rapidly in his chest that each thump had him fighting back a wince. "Please...let me see my mate, just one more time. I have nothing left but him, and I understand your feelings about humans, but he means everything to me, and I can't stand being separated from him right now."

"Absolutely not," Lindsey scoffed instantly, her cold indifference to Gerard's desperate plea cutting him to the core, leaving his eyes watery and his chest aching as she fixed him with an icy stare. "You have been through a lot lately, so I won't report this second indiscretion, but if you ever ask this of me again, I will have no choice but to suggest that Bert banish you, and I would hate to do that after you've lost so much already."

"I swear I won't seek him out again after this," Gerard lied, his voice rising in pitch as he followed after Lindsey when she began to stalk away. "I just need to see him once more, I can't keep existing this way. I'll do anything you ask of me afterward, I'll even leave on my own," Gerard rambled, the thought not hurting him nearly as much as it would have two weeks ago.

Gerard had nothing tying him to this coven anymore, and although having a home had been all he had ever wanted, and he would hate to leave his newfound friends behind, if that was the only way he could see Frank, he would do it.

Gerard could live in the surrounding forest, he would have left already if he could be assured that Lindsey wouldn't touch Frank when he was gone, but he knew that as long as Frank was in Belleville, he was in danger of being hurt unless Gerard found a way to placate Lindsey.

"No - now stop begging, it's making you look pathetic. No vampire should feel such emotions toward a human, and if I ever hear any mention of him again, I'll make sure to remove him from your thoughts as well as this world," Lindsey snapped, her heels clicking loudly against the swept path as she retreated away, and this time, Gerard let her go, because he was at a loss for what to say, and it was obvious that Lindsey wasn't going to change her mind.

And _fuck_ \- that left Gerard back at square one, with no brother, no best friend, no mate, and no will to live.

Gerard slunk away from the gathering with tears pouring down his face, returning to his home which was blessedly empty for once since Brendon and Ryan were most likely still at the ceremony if they hadn't already returned to their own place for the evening.

Gerard stripped out of his clothes hastily, tossing them into the corner before collapsing onto his bed with a quiet whimper. He debated calling Frank, because although he had no good news to share with him, at least hearing his voice would cheer him up. Gerard didn't though, because it was late for humans, and Frank was most likely asleep, so Gerard wasn't going to wake him up just to tell him that he was still banned from seeing him.

Left with no other escape from his tumultuous emotions besides oblivion, Gerard forced himself to close his eyes, more tears gathering at the corners of his lids as he curled around himself.

The emotionally exhausting evening crashed down around Gerard with the weight of the world, and although Gerard knew he needed to try and find a way around this, to discover a solution that would keep Frank safe and allow them to see each other, Gerard drifted off instead, his mind churning rapidly until the last possible moment when he was granted a respite in the form of slumber.

~~~

Gerard jolted awake with a tortured cry, his lungs heaving and his face wet as he twisted into an upright position, the sheets which were tangled around his knees leaving him feeling trapped and suffocated as he tried to ascertain what was real and what had only happened inside of his head.

It was the dream again - _of course_ it was, nothing else woke Gerard this way, but it had been different this time.

Everything had felt real, even more so than it usually did. The fear, and protective instincts, and sheer terror that had surged through Gerard's veins on a thousand different nights had multiplied a hundred fold. Even the pain had been more intense, the stinging blisters caused by the flames still seemed to be seared into his skin, and it had been a good few minutes since the images had stopped assaulting him.

Still, that wasn't the most jarring thing, although Gerard wasn't sure why he was so shaken when he should be used to this by now, but something had changed, and that didn't sit right with him.

The dream had started out the same, with him hurrying through the smoke filled corridor lined with animal cages, to him pushing open the fire damaged door, to his discovery of Frank who was bleeding and near death, to Frank pleading for Gerard to get them out of there, and then - it had _stopped_.

That never happened, not once that Gerard could remember. They always died together when the roof collapsed, but that hadn't occurred this time. Gerard had returned to himself just as he had been fighting the pull of Frank's blood, which Gerard hoped meant something for their future, that they could both survive this event, if it was even going to happen that is.

Gerard also didn't feel as ill as he usually did, he was only vaguely nauseous and dizzy instead of wracked with sharp pains and fighting the urge to vomit, which was simply another shift in routine which had him uneasy no matter how pleasant it was to not feel like he was about to puke up everything he'd eaten in the last week.

And as Gerard padded into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water to erase the taste of soot and traces of bile from his mouth, he couldn't shake the feeling of importance, of relevance, of urgency, like he was supposed to be doing something other than wallowing at home, not that he really had many options at hand.

Finally, Gerard decided to go see if Quinn was awake. He wasn't sure what the other vampire could possibly have to say to him that he hadn't already, but Gerard needed to tell someone about this oddity in the sequence created by his mind, because maybe then they could help him make sense of it.

But as Gerard was tugging open his door, he saw something that should have been insignificant all things considered, but for whatever reason, the sight of Lindsey striding away purposefully with a long, black coat wrapped tightly around her figure had Gerard freezing in place.

Gerard watched her as she made her way toward the entrance of the coven, something persistent and jagged unfurling in his chest as he slowly stepped back inside once Lindsey was out of his line of vision.

Gerard hurried back into his room, digging out his phone which had fallen into the crack between the bed and the wall, his fingers shaking as the display screen on the front lit up, showing him the time which read 8:59 pm.

And that was much too close to 9:55 for Gerard to be comfortable. That was what the clock in his dream always showed, that was the hour mere minutes before he typically died, and _fuck_ \- Gerard hoped he was wrong, but everything in his body was screaming at him that his nightmare was starting to unfold before his very eyes.

Gerard dialed Frank's number frantically, needing to make sure that he was unharmed, that he wasn't trapped in a burning building with a broken leg waiting for Gerard to save him. Frank didn't feel panicked or in pain, but it was hard to read anything other than vague emotions from their bond with the distance separating them.

Gerard used the fact that Frank's thoughts were muted to calm himself as the phone rang continuously since if he was truly in danger, they would come through much clearer, but when he didn't answer, Gerard's terror returned full force, leaving Gerard exhaling heavily as he tried to decide what to do.

It didn't take him long to come to a conclusion though, because even if Gerard was reading too deeply into things, he wasn't going to leave Frank's safety to chance. Lindsey was heading above ground, and she could hurt Frank without the need for fire, so Gerard had to go to him, no matter the consequences.

If Lindsey wasn't headed to Frank's clinic, she wouldn't know that Gerard had gone there, and if she was, at least Gerard could fight for his mate, he could do everything in his power to protect him, because Frank was all he had left, and he refused to lose him as well.


	36. Truly Madly Deeply

Lindsey pulled her black coat tighter around her frame as she made her way into town quickly, her strides purposeful and light as she slunk through the shadows, avoiding the street lamps that were dotting the area in neat intervals in favor of shrouding her presence as much as possible just in case there were any hunters nearby.

The thought of being spotted didn't bother Lindsey nearly as much as it should though, not at the moment anyway. In her current state, she was much too occupied by other troubles to worry over the hunters, even though they were a very real threat whose numbers seemed to be increasing by the day.

She hadn't meant to bring them down on her coven, but it was too late to take her actions back now. She would kill them as well if she had to, they weren't invincible, and if she could pick them off one at a time, that would be another threat that her vampires would no longer have to deal with.

Lindsey had to keep going with her plan, stopping now would be pointless, and honestly, she wasn't sure if she could cease her killings any time soon. She was so angry during the moments where she was idle, seething over the fact that humans still ruled the world that they had no right to. It just wasn't fair, and to witness a vampire begging to see one of them as if they deserved any attention at all rankled in her gut, leaving her feeling sick and vindictive.

Gerard's human had to die tonight, his plea had made certain of that. This Frank had too much of a hold over Gerard, somehow remaining in his mind even after losing his brother and his best friend, and Lindsey couldn't let this go on any longer.

She was hungry too, she hadn't killed recently, and although the blood she had ingested from her last feeding should have been more than enough to satisfy her for weeks, Lindsey's throat was dry and her hands shook slightly at just the promise of fresh blood.

But this intense surge of emotions that was welling inside of her was more than just thirst, in fact, it was scaring Lindsey a bit, but it also filled her with a delicious thrill of power, and her unease was pushed away in favor of the heady rush of strength flowing through her veins.

Just thinking of this human that supposedly meant so much to Gerard set her on edge and increased the sensations she was experiencing. The closer she drew to his home, the more unstable she became, until it was almost as if a different person had occupied her body and she was simply a bystander in this all.

And honestly, a part of Lindsey knew this was wrong, the altruistic half of her who just wanted to help other vampires, the side of her that had done everything she could for Pete, who had salvaged the remains of her coven even though she was a shattered shell of her former self, but that version of Lindsey was becoming lost in the storm of anger that was surging inside of her.

Lindsey didn't want to hurt Gerard, not _really_ , and she knew that this would only wound him further, even if it was his own fault for getting involved with a human in the first place, but _still_ \- could he handle another death right now?

But kindness had gotten Lindsey nowhere in her life, she had lost everything she had ever cared for, her role as leader of a coven was basically non-existent since she simply answered to Bert now, her home was destroyed, she was powerless and lost thanks to the hunters that had attacked them, and killing was the only thing that made her feel in control for a short time, like she was doing something productive that might one day further the vampire race.

The old Lindsey was weak and useless, so she let her kind nature be stripped away, focusing instead on her plans to kill another innocent person, if any human could be considered that. Lindsey had regrets, and she would continue to she was sure, but when she considered turning back, her feet moved forward at a rapid pace, and Lindsey stopped fighting against her baser instincts.

Humans were scum, she would drain them all dry if she could, and just because this one meant something to Gerard, that wouldn't save him, in fact, it condemned him further. Gerard should have known better in the first place, maybe the tragedies in his life were a penance for his dalliance with a lesser being, and eliminating Frank would save him from the cycle of misery that he had been trapped in.

Lindsey continued with her slightly hysterical train of thought, not noticing how frantic her internal ramblings had become, or how choppy her movements were, or how her teeth were already beginning to poke through her upper gums.

Her usually controlled demeanor was being ripped away, but she didn't cling to it like she should have, she was too far gone to realize that what she was doing was leading her down a slippery slope into a madness that she wouldn't be able to escape from once she was embedded in it.

~~~

Gerard hurried along after Lindsey, making sure to keep his footsteps obscured as much as he could so he wouldn't be discovered, and so far, it seemed to be working. Lindsey never once looked behind her, and she appeared to have no idea that she was being followed.

Gerard had been lucky so far, but he wasn't sure how long his current streak would hold. No one had noticed him leaving the coven, although he had been forced to hide behind a building when he had heard Brendon and Ryan's voices. They had been heading in the direction of his home, which meant they would know soon enough that he wasn't there, but hopefully they wouldn't panic or sound the alarm before he got back.

And even if they did, Gerard wasn't sure if he cared anymore. As lovely as Brendon and Ryan were, Gerard didn't think he wanted to stay in the coven for much longer. There were too many bad memories there, and this latest incident with Lindsey had Gerard mistrustful of almost all the vampires that resided there as well.

And _yes_ \- Lindsey hadn't truly done anything yet, but the closer they drew to Frank's clinic, the more assured Gerard became that she was planning on hurting him.

Gerard wanted to believe that Lindsey wouldn't actually go through with this, especially since Frank had done nothing to her, but he could hear the hatred dripping from her voice every time humans were mentioned, and he feared that Frank would never be truly safe as long as Lindsey was alive.

Gerard would kill her if she planned on harming his mate, he had to, even though the thought terrified him. He had never killed another vampire in cold blood except for a few rogues, and they barely counted since they had lost their minds for the most part.

But Gerard had a suspicion that this confrontation was doomed to end violently, especially if Lindsey refused to be swayed. Gerard was willing to bargain with her, to offer her anything if she would only forget about her vendetta against Frank, but if that didn't work, Gerard would protect the man he loved no matter the consequences of his actions.

Gerard's skin began to crawl when Frank's street sign came into view, and even if he was wrong about Lindsey's intentions, he didn't want to risk letting her get any closer to his mate, so he knew he had to act now.

Forcing his legs to move rapidly, Gerard sprinted to Lindsey's side, his actions taking her completely off guard which was apparent in the shocked expression that spread across her face as Gerard shoved her into an alley separating two rows of houses.

Gerard pressed Lindsey up against the nearby brick wall, keeping her wrists trapped between his fingers as he pushed her backward, making sure to gain the upper edge instantly so Lindsey wouldn't have a chance to twist away before he spoke with her.

"Let go of me this instant!" Lindsey screeched once she had regained her breath, her eyes going wild and eerily bright as recognition tinted her irises. "Gerard," Lindsey spat when Gerard stayed silent, checking that his grip was firm before he opened his mouth, "I should have known you would show up, you're not as helpless as you appear after all."

"Why are you here Lindsey?" Gerard asked calmly, ignoring her not so subtle jab in favor of getting to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.

"That is none of your business," Lindsey sneered, her lips pulling back so far that Gerard could see her fangs which were poking through her thin gums, the fierce expression scaring him more than he was willing to admit, but he kept his features as stoic as possible so Lindsey wouldn't catch on to his distress.

"It is if it has to do with my mate," Gerard retorted sharply, "you have no reason to be on this street. I'll let you go only if you leave him be."

" _Mate_ ," Lindsey chuckled hysterically, the sound morphing into something akin to a cackle as her sides heaved and her voice rose in pitch, "you idiot, you actually believe you've mated with him don't you?"

"I do, because I have," Gerard hissed, Lindsey's erratic behavior putting him even further on edge than he already had been. He didn't know the other vampire well, and he was aware that she had a bit of a temper at times, but his few previous encounters with her had never been anything like this, and Gerard wasn't sure how to react to her lack of composure. "It has happened before, and it will happen again. If you choose to remain in denial about that, I can't change your mind, but I will not let you lay one finger on him."

"Or what? How will you stop me?" Lindsey laughed again, her teeth glinting dangerously in the dull glow provided by the soft light hanging over their head which illuminated the back of a small shop. "I am a coven leader, I can ruin your life with one word, _in fact_ \- the second Bert finds out you are up here without permission, you will be punished, and adding your assault of me onto that is going to make things very uncomfortable for you when he discovers what you've been up to this evening."

"Then I will tell him I was with you, that you lead me out here, and that you were planning on killing a human, which I'm sure he won't approve of either," Gerard fired back, hoping his shot in the dark had hit his mark, because he had no idea if Bert felt the same way as Lindsey did toward humans, but from what Gerard had observed, he didn't condone violence, his strict rules on feeding backed up that hypothesis.

"And you think Bert will take your word over mine?" Lindsey scoffed haughtily, leading Gerard to believe that he was correct in guessing that Bert didn't know about Lindsey's jaunts. "He won't, and if you do tell him, I'll kill your little pet human in front of your eyes."

"You're making a lot of threats Lindsey, how do I know that you'll follow through with them?" Gerard bluffed.

He believed Lindsey meant every word she said, but as long as he kept her talking and distracted, she couldn't get to Frank, and it was also gaining Gerard more time to think about what he would have to do to make sure she never did.

"Because I have before, I've killed more humans than you know," Lindsey boasted gleefully, a sick sound of delight escaping from her throat that had Gerard shivering imperceptibly. "The killer that everyone is so afraid of, that is _me_ , as it should be. Humans are meant to fear me, they need to cower before me, and you as well. I am trying to give you the life you deserve, so how dare you throw that back in my face all for a pathetic human who you should view as nothing but food."

Gerard couldn't bite back his gasp of shock at Lindsey's admittance, although he wasn't entirely surprised given her recent actions. She wasn't lying, Gerard could hear the pride and sincerity lacing her tone, and it made sense in a way. He had originally assumed the killer was a vampire, he had just been under the impression that it was a rogue, which honestly, Lindsey might be well on her way to becoming.

Those people had been drained dry, and there had been multiple killings each week for quite some time. If Lindsey truly had drunk all of their blood, the excessive feeding would explain her frightening behavior. Even now her breathing was labored and her fangs were becoming increasingly more prominent, which could simply be a reaction to being held down by Gerard, but he had a suspicion that it was more than that.

Which in turn made Lindsey even more dangerous; she wasn't completely infected yet, she was still aware of herself in most regards, but now that Gerard had noticed the signs, he could sense how close she was to losing herself completely. He had seen enough rogues in his life to recognize their mannerisms, and it seemed as if one more feeding would most likely tip her over the edge, but Gerard had no idea how to react to this newfound knowledge.

Gerard had to tell Bert what he had discovered, that was the only logical option. Lindsey needed help, she would have to be locked away and rationed from blood until her mind cleared and she became herself again, but Gerard knew she would never return to the coven with him willingly, leaving him at a loss for what to do, so he chose to keep her talking, his eyes searching the alley for a rock or something else he could use to knock her out with since he wasn't sure if he would have enough strength with his own fists.

Gerard wasn't at his best right now, he hadn't fed much since Mikey's death, and with Lindsey as charged up on blood as she was, it would be easy for her to overpower him if she wanted to.

"How is killing humans supposed to help anyone Lindsey?" Gerard finally asked, his tongue moving slowly in his mouth as he formed his question. "All you are doing is bringing attention to us, the hunters are here now, so really, you've only put the coven in danger."

"It is that sort of thinking that is holding us back," Lindsey groaned, the topic keeping her attention enough that Gerard managed to kick a nearby piece of brick closer to him without catching her notice. "We should be taking a stand, we need to destroy the hunters, not hide from them. Bert is a fool for thinking that cowering underground will protect us forever, that is why I am doing this, for him, for _everyone_ \- god Gerard, I wish you understood. Maybe when your mate is gone, your mind will be cleared, and you will see my side of things."

Gerard growled protectively in the way of a response, the sound ripping its way out of his chest before he even realized he had made it. Lindsey started at the noise, her head banging against the wall behind her as Gerard's face contorted with a fury that could only be brought about by threatening his mate.

"You will not harm him," Gerard choked out, his limbs shaking with fear since he knew Lindsey planned to do just that.

"No human is safe from me," Lindsey recovered quickly, a sneer twisting her lips as she spoke. "They all deserve death for what they have done to us, especially your human for corrupting you."

Knowing it was now or never, Gerard kicked at the brick he had been maneuvering closer to him, releasing one of Lindsey's arms for a brief moment so he could reach for it, and that was his first mistake.

Lindsey had been waiting for him to loosen his hold, and she lunged for Gerard as soon as he bent down, knocking him off balance with her sudden move.

Gerard stumbled backward, trying to roll onto his side so he could still swing at Lindsey when he had regained his feet, but she was too quick for him, and Gerard found himself pinned to the floor of the alley.

Lindsey situated her weight on his chest, keeping him trapped in a firm grip. The weapon he had managed to clasp between his fingers was all but useless now since she had him almost completely immobilized, its sharp edges digging into Gerard's palm as he struggled to fight back.

Gerard tried to heave himself upward, but Lindsey simply locked her knees, making his pathetic attempts at escape useless. He should have known better than to think he could take down Lindsey in his weakened state, but he had run out of other options, and now he was paying the price for neglecting his body.

"Did you really think you could kill me?" Lindsey chuckled gleefully, her eyes flashing once more with that hint of madness that terrified Gerard since it was something he could not reason with. He didn't bother to correct her on his plan, even though he had only wanted to incapacitate her so she could be taken back to the coven for treatment, but he knew in her current mindset, she assumed the worst of him.

"I had to try," Gerard shrugged, letting his muscles go lax in the hopes that Lindsey would become complacent and give him a chance to break free of her. He had no idea what he would do if he managed that, she was stronger than him by far, the large amounts of blood pumping through her veins increasing her natural abilities and leaving Gerard at an extreme disadvantage, but he refused to give up when Frank's life was at stake.

"You know Gerard, I liked you," Lindsey hummed softly, the odd turn in the conversation confusing Gerard, not that he should have expected her to be coherent given how clouded her thoughts most likely were at the moment. "I thought you had found the coven because of me, thanks to my killings, and I was so proud. I felt like I had accomplished something, that I had given you a home. Your brother told me differently, but I never lost faith in my plan. I just want to help other vampires like you Gerard, why can't you see that? Even you have to admit that the world would be better without humans, that they do nothing but terrorize us and usurp our rightful place in the hierarchy that we once ruled long ago."

"You're insane Lindsey," Gerard choked out, using a different tactic now since his previous ones had yet to work, hoping to rile Lindsey up enough that she would make a mistake and he would have a chance to catch her off guard. "All this is going to do is hurt us, hurt your coven. You are a monster."

"Says the one who claims he's mated to a human," Lindsey retorted sharply, her teeth making another appearance as she leaned closer to Gerard's face. "No one will ever believe your word against mine, not after I tell them your secret, then you will be banished from the coven and I will be free to do as I please."

Gerard didn't respond, not with words at least, instead, he shoved himself upward, assuming that Lindsey's forward lean would lessen her center of gravity. Lindsey did shift slightly, but not enough, and before Gerard could slide out from underneath her, her slender hands made a grab for his throat, smashing his head against the concrete so roughly that Gerard saw spots of color forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Lindsey, please," Gerard croaked when Lindsey tightened her grip, cutting off his air supply with the tight pressure, making any further plea impossible for him to get out.

"You are the monster here," Lindsey declared grimly, her tongue running over her teeth as her thumb dug into Gerard's pulse point heavily. "You are as bad as the humans, and I will not let you ruin this for me, not after I've come so far."

What Lindsey did next shocked Gerard, which he didn't think was possible by this point, but when she bent over and sunk her exposed fangs into Gerard's neck, Gerard exhaled the last of the oxygen residing in his lungs in the form of a startled gasp.

Vampires didn't drink from others of their kind, it just wasn't done, not unless one was on the verge of death from blood loss and there were no available humans from which to feed on. Vampire blood didn't carry the same potency that humans did, it wasn't nearly as satisfying or rejuvenating, which was why it was only used in emergencies.

But Lindsey was so far gone that apparently, that didn't matter to her anymore, or maybe in her addled brain she truly did view Gerard as a human at this moment, but whatever the case was, she was drinking from him, stealing his remaining strength and vitality with each pull she took from his damaged throat.

Gerard tried to resist, to throw her off him, to yank her fangs out of his neck, but it was already too late. The world was going dark around him, meaning that he had failed. With him out of the way, there was nothing left standing between her and Frank.

Gerard attempted to send as much panic and fear through his bond to Frank as he could, maybe then Frank would know that something was wrong, but Gerard belatedly remembered that Frank didn't share this connection with him, he wasn't able to feel his emotions, and even if he was, there was no guarantee that he would understand what was happening if he could.

With his last few moments of consciousness, Gerard prayed for someone to save Frank, for Mikey to look after him from wherever he was now, for Ryan and Brendon to notice his absence and come looking for him, _anything_ really.

Frank couldn't die, he wouldn't let that happen. Even if this was his end, he refused to let Lindsey win, but he was powerless now, and no matter how hard he resisted, he was losing the battle with his body, and it was only seconds later that Gerard was sinking away from himself, his eyes slipping closed and his head lolling backward as he passed out.

~~~

"Hey - isn't that the girl vampire we've been seeing around?" Sam pointed out the window of the Impala which was parked on the street that the latest killing had occurred on since their other leads had gone nowhere, taking them back to square one which involved boring surveillance and little else.

"Fuck...I think so," Dean answered excitedly, his frame leaning across Sam's lap as he craned over to get a better look. "Is she heading toward the clinic, the one owned by the guy with the bite marks?"

"Seems like it," Sam nodded as he observed the female approaching the veterinarian office, her fist raising up to knock on the door which was a change in pattern for her since Sam had never witnessed her actually going inside, only the male vampires seemed to have done that.

"I swear this asshole is helping them somehow, how else does he have so many vamp pals?" Dean scoffed, his neck stretching at an uncomfortable looking angle as they watched Mr. Iero open the door.

"Who knows, this whole thing is making my head hurt," Sam shrugged as he watched the two converse for a few minutes before the vet let the woman inside.

Sam didn't understand how this Iero character played into the weird situation going on in this town, all he knew was that he was their best link to the vampires, which most likely also made him an enemy as well since he seemed so friendly with them.

"Do you think she's feeding from him right now, we could bust in and kill her, take at least one of them out," Dean suggested, but Sam shot his idea down instantaneously.

"No, the neighbors would hear the gunshots, and something is different this time. She used the front door, which she hasn't done before. She's being less careful, so if we wait for her to come out, she might lead us back to the coven." Sam paused for a moment, considering their options in his head before deciding on a plan of action. "Call everyone else, get them close, we can tail her. With all of us following her, there is no way she can lose us on the way back to the coven."

"Smart thinking Sammy," Dean grinned as he reached for his phone, his hand stroking his gun which was lying in his lap before he picked up the device. "Tonight is going to be big, I can feel it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies.
> 
> The finale of this fic approaches.
> 
> I am sorry for leaving it on a cliffhanger I really didn't mean to but it was a good place to end it and it would take me another week or so to update this if I kept going.
> 
> Lately shorter chapter lengths are working better for me so bear with me and I will try not to keep you waiting on the next chapter for too long. I already have it started so that is a good sign.
> 
> Thank you all for being so patient with me and I will try to tie this up soon xx


	37. It Was Over Before It Began

Frank sighed under his breath as he locked up his clinic, his back aching slightly after his long day which wasn't over quite yet since he still had to feed the dogs in his care and clean up their cages before he could crawl into his bed.

Jamia had offered to stay behind and help him, but Frank had refused her company, mostly because his mood had been a bit foul lately and he didn't want Jamia catching on to how miserable he really was, although she was already picking up on hints that he wasn't as cheerful as he was pretending to be.

It wasn't that Frank didn't want to talk to her, in fact, he was sure that sharing his burdens would make his separation from Gerard easier to bear. Jamia always knew what to say to make things better, but the problem was that Frank couldn't think of a reasonable explanation for Gerard's disappearance, and it wasn't like he could tell his friend that the person he was dating had turned out to be a vampire.

He had considered telling her that they had broken up, but that wasn't true either, and he knew if he used that excuse, Jamia would insist that he get over him which would involve dragging Frank to clubs he didn't want to be at and attempting to hook him up with the first cute guy she saw, which Frank couldn't face right now, not when he was _so fucking in love_ with Gerard.

And he was - he loved him so damn much it hurt. Frank didn't want to be in love with him, not right now, because it made everything worse, but he couldn't deny that he was, and no oddities or fangs could change how he felt about the other man.

He was glad he had told Gerard though, he didn't regret it at all even though he hadn't intended to air his affections so soon, but Gerard had needed to hear it, to have something to cling onto in the wake of the tragic death of his brother, and Frank was more than happy to give that to him.

It helped that Gerard was irrevocably tied to Frank as well, actually, it meant the world to him. He was still a bit confused about how vampire mating worked when a human was involved, but knowing that Frank was it for Gerard gave him a heady rush that was incomparable to any other relationship he had been in.

And even with everything stacked against them, from Gerard's species - which Frank was still a bit in shock over - to their inability to see each other, Frank still wanted Gerard. Those hindrances seemed paltry when compared to the aching loneliness that was eating away at him every second he spent without his boyfriend.

Frank missed Gerard - he missed him a hell of a lot, and no amount of hardships or common sense was lessening how head over heels he was for a _vampire_ of all people.

Frank had attempted to talk himself out of this, to reason with his heart, but his efforts had been useless so far. Maybe with time, he would be able to forget about Gerard, but honestly, Frank didn't want that to happen. He was willing to fight for him, and although he wasn't ready to give up his home and his life here, he would do almost anything else if it meant Gerard could be his.

But for now, he had no choice but to wait for Gerard to try and work something out, which he hated. He felt useless and trapped lately, which was something he hadn't experienced in quite some time, but all he could do was hope that Gerard found a way around whatever ridiculous rules his leaders had set up and that they would be able to meet up sometime soon.

With the thought of being reunited with Gerard swirling around in his head and lifting his mood slightly, Frank went about opening the animal cages, ushering the occupants outside one by one, making sure to keep the two dogs that seemed unable to get along separated while they ran about in the yard and stretched their legs for a short while.

When everyone seemed to have calmed down a bit, Frank headed back inside, keeping the door open so he could hear any telltale growls which would mean that trouble had started, returning his attention to the one cat that was staying with him, scooping out some food for her and setting her on the ground to see if she wanted to stroll about for a bit as well, but once she was finished eating, she simply hopped back into her bed, leaving Frank chuckling since that was exactly what he wanted to be doing right now.

Frank shooed the dogs back inside earlier than he usually did, but with the two troublemakers present, he didn't trust them in the yard on their own for much longer, and he really needed to start his own dinner which his growling stomach was reminding him of. He'd take them on a proper walk tomorrow to make up for tonight, which would be made easier since the jack terrier that instigated most of the confrontations was supposed to be going home then as well.

As Frank was perusing his cabinets for the noodles he was sure he had purchased but had somehow mysteriously disappeared, or maybe he had just put them in the wrong place, a knock sounded through his house, leaving Frank sighing tiredly as he trudged out of the pantry and into the main room instead.

He hadn't been expecting anyone today, but it was most likely just Brendon and Ryan coming back to visit their dog again which Ryan had proudly named Zeus when Frank had told them that he was going to keep him. Frank had laughed at their choice, but he knew them well enough by now to not bother with changing their minds.

Frank wondered how Brendon and Ryan could get away to see him when Gerard couldn't, and he reminded himself to ask Gerard that when he called him later, but it was most likely because Gerard had been caught so he was now under scrutiny, and honestly, Ryan and Brendon hadn't come by to see him in over two weeks either, so maybe things had gotten stricter for all of them lately.

And when Frank pulled open the door, it wasn't Brendon, or Ryan, or anyone that Frank knew, instead, it was a young woman with black hair who looked slightly flustered and out of breath. Frank didn't see an animal with her, so he wasn't sure why she was here, but he wasn't in the habit of turning away people who seemed in a bit of a bad spot.

"Are you okay?" Frank asked, noticing how the woman's eyes kept darting behind her rapidly, although there was nothing there that he could discern.

"I - I was just wondering if I could use your phone?" the stranger asked breathlessly, her hands smoothing through her slightly disheveled hair as she spoke. "Someone hit my car back there and took off, now it won't start, and of course I left my phone at home, so I really need to make a call, and no one else answered their door."

"Of course," Frank nodded as he turned his head to try and catch sight of her vehicle, but his clinic was close to the corner of the street, and he assumed the accident had happened out of his range of vision. "It's right over there," Frank pointed to the desk in the waiting room since he wasn't certain where he had put his cell, opening the door a bit wider so the woman could slip inside ahead of him. "You aren't hurt or anything are you?"

"No, just had a bit of a scare," the stranger responded, "and thank you for this."

"It's no problem," Frank smiled, giving the woman one last look over to make sure she was okay, and she seemed to be disregarding her rumpled appearance, which was understandable given the circumstances. "I'm just going to pop into the kitchen for a second, but I'll be back soon."

The stranger nodded as she picked up the phone, her dark eyes locking with Frank's momentarily. The sharp gaze he was met with caused a small shiver to run down his spine for no reason that he could uncover, but it still had his smile faltering a bit as he backed away. The uncomfortable feeling passed as soon as the woman averted her stare, so Frank shook it off and returned to his search for his missing noodles.

Frank had just found the sneaky package that he had apparently stored behind his cereal by accident when he heard footsteps in the kitchen. He poked his head back out to see the woman entering the room, and even though he was surprised her call had gone so quickly, he immediately stepped out to greet her.

"You know you aren't what I expected," the stranger commented before Frank had a chance to open his mouth, leaving him confused and slightly shaken as he tried to decipher her meaning.

"Pardon me?" Frank asked when she didn't follow up her statement with anything else, his head cocking to the side as he slowly placed the package in his hand down on the counter.

"Gerard speaks so highly of you, so I just assumed you'd be a bit more...impressive is all," the woman sniffed haughtily.

"How in the hell do you know Gerard?" Frank demanded, his spine going stiff as fear coursed through his veins, his mind churning rapidly as he came to the conclusion that this must be one of the vampires that didn't approve of their relationship. " _Fuck_ \- are you Lindsey?" Frank pressed fearfully, unable to keep the edge of terror out of his voice as everything clicked into place.

"Oh, so he's told you about me then? I shouldn't be surprised, although when I first met him, I never expected him to be a traitor," Lindsey hummed in a nonchalant manner that left Frank even more on edge than he already was.

"Get out of my house," Frank ordered, his tone wobbling unsteadily as he began backing away slowly. Gerard hadn't gone into much detail about Lindsey, but he knew enough to be aware that she was dangerous, and that it was her that had threatened Gerard and decided that he was unable to see Frank. "I haven't told anyone that you are here, your secret is safe with me, and I haven't seen Gerard either, so just leave me alone," Frank added on, hoping that the extra assurances would placate Lindsey for the time being, even though he really wasn't sure why she was here in the first place.

There was no reason for her to have searched Frank out unless Gerard had done something else, but he would have let Frank know if he was planning on attempting to visit him again. Gerard hadn't come by, and he swore that he had said that they would only be punished if they continued to spend time with each other, but maybe something had changed that Frank wasn't aware of.

"Oh Frank...if only it was that easy, but unfortunately, you know too much, and as long as you are alive, Gerard will never be able to move on from this silly infatuation, so I really can't do that," Lindsey shrugged in a casual manner that belayed her malicious intent, a smile breaking out across her face that showed her fangs which were poking out just enough for Frank to catch sight of them from where he was standing.

"M-my secretary is coming back any minute," Frank stammered although he had already sent Jamia home for the day, a cold sweat trickling down his shirt as he tried to comprehend what was happening to him.

"Don't try and lie to me," Lindsey sneered, "it won't save you, and do you really think another human's presence would stop me. I would simply kill them as well..."

Frank didn't wait to hear the rest of Lindsey's statement, instead, he bolted while he still could, heading for the hallway to his left where the animals in his care lived, slamming and locking the door behind him once he was through it. Frank didn't know how long that would hold her, but it had caught her off guard at least, now he just had to make use of his temporary advantage while he still had it.

But as Frank hurried down the corridor which led to the rear exit, his eyes lingered on the animals that surrounded him. Frank couldn't leave them locked up here, especially not with a vicious vampire nearby. Lindsey most likely wouldn't harm them, but what if she grew upset with Frank's defiance and took it out on them instead?

So with shaking fingers, Frank began releasing all of the animals from their pens, ushering them out the back door once they were free. He could hear Lindsey battering at the door now, each thud made his heart skip a beat and his eyes clench shut momentarily, but she hadn't gotten through yet, so he could still escape, he _had_ to.

Frank forced himself to continue moving even though his mind was rapidly being paralyzed with fear, but he was managing to shove it away, to keep inhaling even when his lungs seized up, to not look behind him, to contain the scream he felt welling in his chest, to cling to an aura of calm that might be his only chance at getting out of this alive.

Frank sprinted across the yard once the lone cat made its way outside, wrenching open the newly installed fence so harshly that the metal wiring screeched in protest. The animals poured out instantly once the opportunity was given to them, and although Frank was nervous that they would get hit by a car or hurt in some other way, it was better than leaving them at the mercy of Lindsey.

And then Frank was through as well, he had done it, he was out of his house, and around the next corner was a shop that was typically heavily populated, but _fuck_ \- no, those were fingers digging into his shoulder, the strong grip appearing so suddenly that Frank hardly had time to process it before he was yanked backward, a startled yelp bubbling past his lips as he was thrown down onto his back porch, his arm and spine throbbing from the rough treatment.

And when Frank raised his head only to meet Lindsey's steely gaze, all of the fight and adrenaline drained out of his body instantly, a wave of fear rushing in to take its place. Frank's breath caught as Lindsey smirked down at him, and never before had he related so much to a mouse that was being used as a cat's play thing.

"Please don't do this," Frank begged, his composure disappearing along with almost everything else when Lindsey raised one of her heeled boots, pressing the tip of it against his chest so roughly Frank was sure it would leave a bruise, although that was really the least of his worries right now.

"Get up," Lindsey ordered sharply, and Frank didn't have any choice but to obey her as soon as she raised the pressure of her foot to kick at his ribs instead, getting his feet under him only for Lindsey to shove him through the still opened door with a fierce push.

A voice inside of Frank's head told him to run for it again, to resist, even if it was useless, but he had no energy left in him, it was hidden underneath the terror and nausea that was rolling through his body at the moment.

"What do you want from me?" Frank whimpered quietly once Lindsey had guided him into his back office that he used when he needed to get away from the distractions of everything else in order to pay bills and deal with things that he tended to put off much more often than he should, his thighs hitting the desk when Lindsey continued to advance toward him.

"Nothing that you don't deserve," Lindsey replied airily, her fingers twisting in her hair idly, the action not appearing innocent at all even though Lindsey surely intended it to be that way.

"I haven't done anything to you, and I never will, I swear," Frank croaked out, his tongue lying dry and thick in his mouth as he tried not to shake too visibly.

"Oh but you have, you've corrupted one of my own, you've somehow convinced him that he is in love with you, like a vampire could ever care for your kind, and because of that, you've unveiled my plan, you've made me kill your lover, and now I have to make sure all of the loose ends are tied up so this entire incident can be forgotten."

"You - you didn't hurt Gerard, you couldn't have - tell me he's okay," Frank cried, the rest of her words fading away next to the statement that had caused his heart to stutter in his chest and tears to form in the corners of his eyes.

" _Well_ \- I mean, he wasn't dead when I last saw him, but he will be soon, especially since I drained him dry," Lindsey giggled hysterically, the sound making Frank's skin crawl as he hunched in on himself, his chest burning as he did his best not to break down and sob in front of this woman. "I was going to do that to you as well, leave your empty husk behind here for someone to find eventually, but now I don't think I will. You will get too much pleasure from that, it will be a pleasant death, and I want you to suffer before the end."

Frank didn't respond to her threat, what could he say really? He was too consumed by the mental image of Gerard lying somewhere with blood pooling from his neck, his skin even paler than usual, his eyes closed, his body unmoving, and _fuck_ \- as pathetic as it sounded, Frank didn't care all that much if he died anymore, not if Gerard was already dead as well.

That line of thinking was unhealthy, and Frank realized that Lindsey might be deceiving him, but he just couldn't care about himself if Gerard was gone. He had only recently accepted that he loved Gerard, that he needed him, that they could somehow make this work, and now everything was falling apart before they had a chance to even try and discover if they would have been able to overcome the obstacles standing in their way.

Frank was aware that his next action was foolish, and that it would never work, and that he didn't even know where Gerard was, but he was suddenly overcome with the need to find him, to see him one last time before he died, because that was inevitable now. Lindsey wasn't going to leave them be, he probably wouldn't live through another day, and as much as that thought terrified him, Gerard was his primary concern right now.

It was a futile attempt of course, which Frank had known from the start, but he still made once last escape attempt anyway. Lindsey didn't seem at all surprised when he sprinted for the door. She caught him almost instantly, her nails digging into the meat of his thigh as she twisted his leg so roughly he heard the bones snap, wrenching an agonizing cry from his lips as he fell to the ground with a harsh thump.

"You idiot," Lindsey sneered down at Frank as he clutched his wounded limb, his vision going spotty as the pain rolled over him in waves and blood began to soak through his torn jeans where the bone had punctured his skin, "not that I should have expected any differently given how moronic your kind are in general."

Frank was still in shock from his injury, but his mind cleared slightly when Lindsey leaned down, sticking her fingers into his wound and gathering some of the blood dripping from it, her features taking on a feral cast as she lapped at the red liquid eagerly.

"Fuck you," Frank spat in a show of pointless defiance, but the words still felt good to utter, especially when Lindsey recoiled backward slightly, allowing Frank to tuck his bleeding appendage out of her reach which might not have been worth the agony it caused him, but he'd rather die than sit here and watch her drink from him.

Lindsey recovered quickly though, laughing lightly like he had just told a joke, otherwise ignoring him as she began to pace the room, her finger tapping against her red lips as if she was deep in thought.

"I think you will burn for your crimes, like your ancestors did to us all of those years ago, forcing us into the sun and watching as we turned to ash, well now you will get to experience that firsthand," Lindsey announced, displaying her sick smile to Frank who was so woozy by this point that he could barely focus on her. "You will be an example of what happens to those that think they are good enough to fraternize with vampires, because you _aren't_ , you never will be, and one day soon, we will rise up and reclaim what is rightfully ours."

Frank opened his mouth to make some sort of witty remark, although he really had no idea what Lindsey was referring to, but when he did, his stomach churned violently, the pain in his leg growing so intense it left him feeling ill, and before he could stop himself, he was throwing up, his insides emptying themselves as Lindsey laughed manically above him.

When Frank was finished, Lindsey was gone, at least she seemed to be. He could hardly move, making it difficult to be certain, but she appeared to have vacated the room, which would be a perfect opportunity for Frank to flee, except that he couldn't.

His leg was throbbing, _fuck_ \- his entire body hurt like the pain from his broken bone was radiating upward, and even the thought of trying to stand on the limb had him retching weakly again. His head was heavy too, and his eyelids, _everything_ was really, and Frank knew there was no way he could get away this time, Lindsey would only find him again if he did.

Even when the room began to smell faintly of smoke, the scent followed by Lindsey's laughter, Frank was unable to find the motivation to save himself. He simply shifted his frame until he was under the nearby desk, his body collapsing once he had made it a few feet, his eyes closing as he resigned himself to his death which was most assuredly coming soon whether it be by fire or blood loss.

~~~

Gerard was shocked to find himself conscious again, because _really_ , he should be dead. Even if he hadn't been completely drained of blood, his body shouldn't have been able to revive itself, leaving him an easy target for the sun's rays whenever it rose, but yet he was awake, and alive, if only barely.

Still, he wasn't sure how long he was going to maintain his current level of coherence. His eyelids seemed to weigh thousands of pounds as he forced them to open, and sitting up still seemed to be an impossible task, leaving him sprawled on his back in the alley he had cornered Lindsey in.

Gerard tried to extend his senses to see if the other vampire was still nearby, but he couldn't tell anything for sure. The sky hadn't darkened all that significantly since he had passed out, so hopefully she hadn't gone far, but honestly, it wouldn't take her long to get to Frank given the close proximity of his clinic, so if Gerard had any chance of saving him, he had to move now.

Gerard might have been on the brink of death, but that didn't matter, he was still going to protect Frank from Lindsey. He had failed miserably so far, but Frank wasn't hurt yet, his bond with him was still calm and complacent for the most part, so Gerard had time, just not much of it.

As Gerard slowly inched his battered frame closer to the wall, planning to use its support to help himself regain his feet, he dared to hope that Lindsey's madness had distracted her from her original task of killing Frank. She obviously wasn't in her right mind, so maybe she had forgotten what she had come up here to do after her attack on Gerard, or perhaps she had regained some semblance of control over herself and retreated to the coven, although the second option was very unlikely.

 _Still_ \- Frank wasn't in pain yet, or scared, so Lindsey couldn't be there, and it was that fact that gave Gerard the motivation to shift onto his knees. He wasn't too late, he could still defend his mate with his dwindling strength, and even if he stood no chance of actually incapacitating Lindsey in this condition, perhaps he could distract her for long enough that Frank could get away if she was indeed at his place.

But keeping with his current string of terrible luck, almost as soon as the thought had passed through Gerard's mind, panic blossomed in his head, and it wasn't coming from him, but from _Frank_.

Gerard's instincts were telling him to immediately run to him, to rush across the street that separated them and defend Frank with the meager resources he had, but he couldn't fucking move, no matter how much he concentrated on shifting himself into an upward position.

Gerard wanted to cry as a surge of frustration spiked inside of him, because Frank was scared, which meant Lindsey had to be at his home, but his body was useless. He had hardly any blood left in his veins, he shouldn't even have woken up, and unless he found a source soon, he wouldn't be able to walk, much less fight off Lindsey, but he also wasn't able to seek out a human to drink from in his immobile state.

A few tears did roll down Gerard's face as another surge of fear with a hint of pain overtook Gerard's mind. He knew that whatever he was feeling, Frank was experiencing it in much more potent quantities, and that wasn't right, he had to stop this. Frank was his mate, his love, his _everything_ , which meant he was supposed to protect him, be there for him, but the one time Frank truly needed him, Gerard couldn't get to him.

Gerard made it a few feet before his arms began to tremble and he collapsed again, a weak moan of despair falling from his lips as the rough gravel coating the alley scraped against his cheek which was growing wetter by the second as he continued to sob brokenly, each cry grating at his insides, leaving him feeling weak and utterly helpless as Frank's emotions began to grow more frantic and worrisome inside of his head.

Gerard flinched when he felt something soft brushing up against his limp hand, or he tried to at least although his limbs didn't respond very well. Whatever it was took no notice of his slight shift, instead, it began to purr happily, leading Gerard to believe that it was a cat that was rubbing up against him.

Gerard tilted his head to the side to observe the creature, seeing that it was a slightly chunky tabby cat that appeared to be wearing a collar, meaning it wasn't a stray, so he wasn't quite sure what it was doing out here, but he supposed it could have simply escaped from one of the nearby houses, and it wasn't like it really mattered either way, but observing the cat was helping to distract him from the pulses of abject terror that were bleeding through his bond with Frank.

And when the cat drew closer, Gerard could concentrate on nothing else besides its tiny heartbeat, his starving body instantly focusing on the blood thrumming underneath its skin even though animal blood was nowhere near as potent as that of humans.

Gerard had never been desperate enough to drink from one before, but this situation left him with no other choice, so before the cat could wander away, Gerard used his last remaining strength to grab it by the small collar, bringing it closer to his mouth as his fangs extended, piercing through the animal's fur and into its neck.

The cat let out a startled sound as Gerard drained it quickly before it fell limp in his grasp, allowing Gerard to drink from it without any struggle, and although its blood tasted bitter and not at all pleasant, it was enough to recharge him momentarily, and that was what he needed right now.

Gerard wiped his mouth when the animal was empty, his tongue curling up in disgust as the foul flavor continued to cling to it, but it was worth it, because he could get up now, and even if his legs were shaky and his head spun alarmingly, he could walk, which meant that he could get to Frank.

Frank was still alive, even though he was in terrible pain, the echoes of it were resonating in Gerard's head and traveling down his brain stem as they grew stronger, but it wasn't too late.

Gerard might not be strong enough to fight off Lindsey, but he was going to try if it was the last thing he did. He would get Frank away, he would make him promise to run, then he would hold Lindsey off for as long as he could. Frank would make it out of this alive, and that was all that mattered in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me so long to write but I am here and mostly satisfied with it.
> 
> I am really not the best with like action scenes though which is why I agonized over it for quite some time. I think I've gotten it mostly decent though now at least I hope I did.
> 
> I think there are two more chapters after this and then maybe an epilogue. My planning for this at the end went all wonky but I know what is going to happen I'm just not sure how long it will take me to lay out those events.


	38. Salvation Or Damnation?

Fire rained down from the heavens, stinging Gerard's skin with painful blisters, but he didn't care - he was here on a mission, and this time, he wouldn't fail...he _couldn't_ fail.

This was his dream brought to life, but instead of being clueless about why he was here, and what his purpose was, he knew. He was awake this time, and this wasn't a series of visions that his mind had chosen to torment him with, this was _real_ , it was happening now, which meant Frank was in danger.

Gerard was in Frank's home that had been set ablaze by the time he had gotten there, most likely by Lindsey, although why she had chosen that method to eliminate Frank confused Gerard, but he wasn't going to question it. She didn't seem to be in the nearby vicinity either, and that gave him a better chance to save his mate, which he was going to do despite all of his previous failures, the determination brewing inside of him helped his fragile body to continue forward despite the sweltering heat and choking smoke obscuring his way.

Gerard couldn't leave, even if he wanted to, but this time, it wasn't because of impenetrable walls or shifting corridors - _no_ \- it was his bond with Frank. Gerard refused to abandon him here, even though he was weak and starving, because Frank needed him, and Gerard would save him if it was the last thing he did.

**9:55**

The red numbers on the clock mounted on the wall galvanized him, only five more minutes until Gerard would be too late - and that wasn't acceptable. He had watched Frank die in his arms hundreds of times, but that wouldn't be the outcome of this evening, Gerard couldn't bear it if it was.

Gerard could faintly feel Frank's emotions in his mind, his fear, his pain, his exhaustion, but it was muted thanks to Gerard's own dismal state, which was a blessing in disguise since it allowed Gerard to keep as clear a head as possible, which he needed if they were both going to survive this.

And they would - they _had_ to, Quinn had said that the future wasn't set in stone, that things could be changed if he fought hard enough, and Gerard clung to his words, because they had to be true, otherwise he was walking into his own death willingly, but even that would be better than existing without Frank.

_Keep moving...ignore the flames...don't stop._

Gerard's internal chant kept him company as he continued deeper into the building which was now easily recognizable as Frank's clinic, he could tell that now, even though it had confounded him previously when he had first witnessed it in his dreams. Empty cages lined the walls, many of the doors hung open haphazardly, meaning that Frank had released the animals they had housed, which was so like him Gerard felt a hint of a smile twitching at the corner of his lips even if the expression wasn't really appropriate given his current situation.

Gerard briefly considered the possibility that Frank might have escaped as well if the dogs and cats had gotten free, but it was doubtful. Lindsey wouldn't have bothered chasing down the pets, but she would have made sure Frank was trapped here in the hellish conditions she had created. Gerard had been certain she would simply drink Frank dry, but maybe his blood had been enough for her at the moment, even rogues must get full eventually he assumed.

Lindsey didn't matter right now though...all that mattered was reaching the end of this hallway where Frank would be if his dream was indeed correct.

Gerard realized then that the cat he had fed from might have been one of Frank's animals, which meant that in a way, Frank had provided Gerard with the means he needed to come to his rescue, even if the death of the creature would sadden him, but _still_ \- Frank's actions had saved Gerard, now he had to repay that favor.

Gerard was starting to panic as he grew closer to Frank, flames were twisting around him, scorching his skin with every caress of their fiery fingers, his own aches mixing with the agony he could feel emanating from his mate until he wasn't sure whose pain he was experiencing.

He could feel blisters forming underneath his clothing, which was scant protection against the overwhelming heat and smoke that was threatening to bring him to his knees from lack of oxygen, but he ignored it all, smothering his fear with the urgent need to continue moving, because if he stopped, he was dead, and then Frank would perish as well, which was unacceptable.

A door was in sight now, blackened by smoke and cracked open slightly, orange flames visible from within. Putting on a burst of speed, Gerard practically ripped the object off its hinges in his desperate bid to get inside. He could instantly tell that Frank resided within this room, he knew it without a doubt, the scent of his blood filled the air, even as overpowered as it was by the bitter tang of burning wood.

Gerard was aware that he didn't have long now, tears blurred his vision and his lungs were filling up with smoke. He could smell the unpleasant scent of burning flesh, and he tried his best to ignore the fact that it was most definitely his own.

"Frank, are you here?" Gerard called out in a panicked voice, even though he knew that Frank was mostly likely situated underneath the nearby desk just like he always was, but the words were out of his mouth before he could think to stop himself.

"Gerard?" a hoarse voice croaked out, and even though the timbre was different to Frank's usual tone, it was him, just like Gerard had known it would be. "Is that you?"

"Yeah - I'm here," Gerard reassured him, his own sentence cracking audibly as a sudden rush of relief filled him. So far, this sequence of events had followed the pattern of his dream exactly, but Gerard had been so afraid that Frank wouldn't be here, that maybe Lindsey would have taken him away to torment him further, leaving Gerard alone here to die with no purpose and no one to save.

But Gerard quickly pushed his unruly emotions away, allowing his primal instincts to rise to the surface instead, the urge to protect Frank with his life becoming the only coherent thought that filtered through his oxygen deprived brain.

"Lindsey said she killed you," Frank mumbled groggily, a shuffling sound emerging from his hiding place followed by a cry of pain that had Gerard's heart constricting in his chest. "My leg... _fuck_ \- I think it's broken," Frank groaned, reminding Gerard with his words of how little time he had left to save them both, because he knew what happened after this, and they had mere minutes before the ceiling caved in on them, if that.

Bending down, Gerard was finally able to view the slight statured man curled up under a hunk of wood that had once passed as a desk as if it would protect him, clutching his injured appendage tightly to his body. Frank was no longer a random human that he should have cared nothing for though, he was his mate, the person that meant everything to him - _fuck_ \- Gerard could hardly remember what it had felt like back when Frank had been nothing more than a stranger to him.

As Gerard inched closer, the metallic smell of blood flooded his nostrils, erasing everything else: from the fire, to the smoke, and even to their imminent danger. Gerard knew he couldn't let Frank's scent overwhelm him, but he was hungry - _so hungry_.

Animal blood could only sustain him for so long, and even though Gerard had taken a decent amount from the cat, it hadn't been nearly enough to quench his thirst, and Lindsey had drained him severely, making Frank's heady scent almost impossible to resist.

But _no_...Gerard couldn't feed now, and not from Frank, because he was his mate, and he was hurt already. Even if he wasn't injured, Gerard would never violate him in that way again, so although every cell in Gerard's damaged body was crying out at him to sink his fangs into Frank's neck and heal himself with his life-giving blood, he pushed down his baser urges with a monumental effort.

"She didn't, I'm okay," Gerard belatedly assured Frank, not bothering to explain how Lindsey _had_ almost killed him, they would have time to catch up later once they made it out of this. "Let me see," Gerard found himself saying, although he knew what he would view from his previous visions, but he still needed to witness how badly Frank was wounded with his own eyes.

Gerard knelt next to his suffering mate, gently moving aside the torn jeans clinging to his leg so he could observe the damage. Blood flowed freely from a deep gash caused by the protruding point of bone sticking out of the tattooed skin, the image causing even Gerard's stomach to churn slightly, and he had witnessed many gruesome scenes that far surpassed this one, but this was his _mate_ , and seeing him so grievously injured twisted Gerard's intestines, the urge to vomit clogging his throat to the point that he had to turn away before he lost the battle he was fighting with his bodily functions.

"Gerard - we have to get out of here..." Frank gasped out, pain and fear lacing his voice as the flames grew hotter and the smoke pressed down all around them.

Frank was right, _of course_ he was, and Gerard was aware that he needed to pick Frank up and escape as quickly as possible, but he couldn't move. Frank's blood was inundating all of his senses, the red liquid drawing his gaze and capturing his entire attention, paralyzing him to the point of inaction.

It was taking every ounce of self-control Gerard possessed not to drain Frank dry, which was unthinkable, he could never do that to the man he loved with all of his heart, but he felt that if he so much as shifted right now, he would lose the fragile hold he had on his hunger. His sharp upper canines were pressing at his gums, attempting to break through the thin skin despite Gerard's best efforts at keeping them at bay.

" _Gerard_..." Frank's voice was faint now, the smoke inhalation was beginning to affect him, causing him to lose his grip on consciousness, and Gerard could feel their bond wavering, the connection he shared with Frank growing fuzzy and dim as his mate slipped away from him.

A deep-rooted voice inside of Gerard was screaming at him to do something, to save this man who he loved more than anything, who was his entire world. The internal struggle was tearing him apart; something had to give, and it would either end in both of their salvation, or their deaths.

And finally, something did snap, because Gerard was not going to reenact his failure once more, so drawing from an inner source of strength that Frank seemed to bring out in him, Gerard scooped Frank into his arms, dragging the smaller man against his chest just as the roof began to creak and groan above them.

Gerard sprinted for the door he could barely make out through the dense smoke, slamming his shoulder against it, causing the lock to break and allowing him his first breath of fresh air in far too long, even though it quickly became tainted with the black cloud of toxins that had billowed out with him.

Gerard winced as the building behind him collapsed with a harsh shriek, his feet automatically carrying them away from the source of the destruction, making sure his grip on Frank was secure as he went. He didn't stop running once he was free from the flames, even though the urge to pause for a moment so he could process the fact that he had truly changed the outcome of his dream tugged at him briefly, but he kept going, through the fence and down the street, because he knew if he stopped, Frank's blood would begin calling to him again.

Not that it wasn't already, because it was - _fuck_ , Gerard's throat ached even more than his neck, which still stung from Lindsey's vicious bite, but he consistently reminded himself that this was Frank, his _mate_ , and he had promised that he would never drink from him again unless Frank wanted him to, and that vow held even when he was on the brink of death.

That didn't change Gerard's makeup though, and in all reality, he required blood, and _soon_ , or else he was bound to collapse, and he would be no help to Frank then, who was also in desperate need of medical attention. Gerard wasn't sure where the closest hospital was though, or if he could take Frank there without losing control and biting another human, so he did the only thing he could think of and turned his pounding strides in the direction of the coven.

He could feed there, he knew he had a few blood bags left in his home, that would be enough to revitalize him for now, and then he could get Frank treated, if Frank managed to hold on for that long. He had no idea if the severity of his wounds were life threatening to a human or not, but they could be. Most vampires would heal from a broken leg within a few days, but Frank wasn't one, and he had lost a lot of blood, not to mention inhaled smoke tainted air, and god knows what else Lindsey had done to him.

Gerard had to chance it though, any other option would end in chaos, and Gerard could at least patch Frank up and stop his bleeding once he wasn't so tempted to latch his fangs into Frank's neck. He was aware that he was taking a risk by bringing Frank to a place filled with vampires, but he smelled more like fire and soot than blood at the moment, and if he used the back gate, he should be able to avoid any unwanted detection. Brendon and Ryan's home was near there, so Gerard would head straight to them and pray to whoever was listening that luck was on his side for once.

Gerard held Frank tightly as he continued to sprint toward the coven as quickly as his damaged body would let him, making sure that his mate's chest still rose and fell, that his heart continued to beat, mentally begging him to hang on for just a little while longer, because he couldn't lose him now. Frank's inhales were shallow and ragged, and he was still unconscious, but he was alive, and Gerard needed him to stay that way.

Because they had beaten his nightmare, they had made it out of the fire, which was something Gerard had never before accomplished in his dream, but that also meant he had no idea what the future held, and that was almost more terrifying than being aware of what was coming in a way.

At least Gerard had hope now, he had his mate with him, and he was going to cling to that with everything he had. He refused to let Frank be torn away from him like everything else he loved had been lately, he wouldn't lose him too, he _couldn't_.

~~~

Lindsey rushed back to the coven once she made sure that Frank wasn't going to escape from the inferno she had left him trapped in, knowing that she needed to be far away before her actions drew the attention of any other humans, or even worse, hunters in the area.

Her mind that had been previously clouded with bloodlust and revenge was sated slightly now that Frank was about to perish, because he deserved death for leading Gerard astray, and although she probably should have simply bitten him so that other vampires would know what she had done, she enjoyed the thought of his suffering too much to regret setting the fire that would lead to his demise.

Once the flames had died down and Lindsey was seen in the coven, providing her with an alibi she might need since Bert was becoming increasingly suspicious of her actions, she could return to the surface again when the coven leader retired and leave a drained body behind if she so chose. She could already feel hunger clawing at her belly again, the blood she had taken from Gerard was dissipating in her system quickly since he wasn't human, making him much less satisfying to drink from.

Lindsey briefly considered going back for Gerard, because as addled as he was after he had allowed Frank to infect him with his humanity, he was still a vampire, but _no_ \- she couldn't do that. Gerard would ruin everything if she allowed him to live, no amount of threats would keep him from telling Bert what she had done now that his supposed mate was dead, and as much as she pitied him, she wasn't going to allow her hard work to be tossed aside by someone who had been stupid enough to fall for a human.

Maybe she would at least check on him when she was above ground later, perhaps she would give him one last ultimatum, which would be to leave Belleville forever or wait for the sun to rise. She could decide what to do with him then, after she had fed properly, and judging by his answer, she might find it in her heart to forgive him for attacking her.

The thought of hunting again filled Lindsey with a giddy sense of joy that was so overwhelming, she was nearly tempted to turn back toward the city now and seek out fresh prey, because every human she killed was another success for the vampire race, but logic managed to override her desires for the time being.

She needed to be spotted in the coven before word of the fire spread and Gerard's absence was discovered, that way she could be absolved of any guilt, meaning she would have to wait to drink for a little while longer.

Lindsey lost herself in the thoughts of her next victim as she reached the church that contained her home, considering where she would hit next that would garner the most attention. She had long ago moved on from the prostitutes and users that were a vampire's typical sources of blood, finding that targeting the middle class caused more of an uproar, not to mention that humans tasted much better if they weren't brimming with alcohol and drugs.

Maybe Lindsey would take it a step further tonight, perhaps she would even go so far as to seek out the police chief, or the mayor, someone who meant something to the idiotic humans, hopefully then tales of her deeds would be spread even wider, and other lost vampires would finally make their way here which had been her intentions all along.

And of course, Lindsey was so caught up in her thoughts, not to mention in quite a hurry to make it back to her home before anyone noticed that she was gone that she failed to notice that she was being followed, which was something that would never have slipped her notice if she had been in her right mind, and that, coupled with the fact that she had left open the secret entrance to the coven since she planned to head back out soon would become two of her biggest regrets, she just didn't know that yet.


	39. Running From The Bullets

"Did you lose her?" Bobby snapped at Charlie, the hunter that had been chosen to follow the female vampire when she entered the rundown church at the edge of town that they had successfully managed to stalk her to.

" _No_ \- I'm not that incompetent," Charlie scoffed, rocking back on her heels when Dean sent her a not so subtle thumbs up behind Bobby's back. "She went underground, there is a creepy crypt down there, and some secret doors and shit, but she left them ajar, so it'll be easy to get into the coven, and I put small rocks in the way just in case she comes back and closes them behind her. I watched her open them either way, so we are good to go."

"Thank god," Bobby sighed in relief, his shoulders sloping forward before he tensed them again, turning back to face the assembled hunters gathered around him. "Alright ya idjits, you know what to do. This is what we have been waiting for, so make sure you have enough amo for this. We'll go in shooting, take down as many as we can before they realize what's happening. Sam, Dean, you get behind them if you can, I'll be going with you, we'll try and trap 'em between us. The sun ain't out so we don't have that on our side, but we can't wait until morning, so make sure we kill them before they escape, you got it?"

Everyone nodded rapidly in agreement, the sound of guns cocking filling the silent night air as the hunters made sure their weapons were loaded. Sam fingered his own pistol before reaching around and making sure his large knife was still there as well, his hands shaking slightly in anticipation as he did so.

He was ready for this though, he had been ever since he deduced that there might be a coven hidden in this sleepy town after all. He hadn't been sure if his initial hypothesis had been correct originally, but now he was proven right, and the only thing more satisfying than that would be taking down the filthy vampires that had been preying on the helpless inhabitants of this city.

The female vampire had made this all possible, she had grown careless lately, most likely she was about to go rogue, but _really_ , Sam didn't care what was wrong with her, she would die too along with everyone else.

Either way, it was thanks to her visit with the veterinarian that they had found this place, they had tailed her as soon as she had left, which had led them here. They hadn't had time to check up on Mr. Iero, which Sam felt slightly guilty about, but if he was dead, then it had been for a worthy cause, because now they had found the coven after weeks of searching, and in a matter of hours, this city would be free from vampires entirely.

They wouldn't be able to recover from this attack, Sam was sure of it, and with this strike, they might be able to completely eradicate the last known large scale gathering of this bloodsucking race.

"Alright boys, follow me," Bobby announced quietly, his booted feet heading into the church. Sam copied his movements, his breath catching in his throat as Dean nudged him lightly, his eager grin matching Sam's as they prepared to do what they had been trained for from birth.

"Stay safe Sammy, I'll be right there if you need me," Dean whispered.

"You too," Sam replied, his confidence in his fellow hunters and his brother filling him with a sense of invincibility, making it seem impossible for anything to go wrong tonight. He felt no fear, only excitement, and he knew that they were going to be successful, they had to for the sake of humanity.

~~~

Gerard entered the coven silently, using the back gate to avoid detection, wrapping his trench coat around Frank's body as much as possible to try and hide him from view in case anyone happened to be about, which they didn't seem to be. Frank was still unconscious, which was most likely a good thing, otherwise he would be in an extraordinary amount of pain, and Gerard hoped he stayed oblivious until he could get him some proper help.

But he needed to feed first, that way he could remove the danger that he posed to Frank, because although he didn't think he would succumb to his desire to drink Frank dry, he was rapidly losing hold of his self-control. His fangs were already poking through his gums, and nothing he did would cause them to retract.

Gerard debated on heading to his own home, mostly because he was certain that he had blood there, and he felt bad about dragging Brendon and Ryan into this mess he had created. He knew they cared about Frank, but bringing a human to this place was treason, and if Bert discovered that they had helped him, they might be banished.

But _really_ , Gerard didn't have much of a choice. His house was located near the middle of the coven, and he wasn't going to chance taking Frank through the streets which would be filled with vampires at this time, so he would have to hope that Brendon and Ryan would understand why he had come to them with this, and also pray that they weren't hungry either. He doubted they would hurt Frank, but the smell of his blood was already permeating Gerard's nostrils, and he knew it would be a temptation to any vampire with the way it was spilling down his leg, basically begging to be taken.

He had no better option though, so Gerard quickly sprinted to his friends' abode, not bothering to knock since he didn't have the luxury of time on his side. Gerard shifted Frank as gently as he could, twisting the knob once he got a hand around it and edging his way inside, calling out as he did so for Brendon or Ryan so he wouldn't catch the two vampires off guard.

"Help me, please - Frank's hurt," Gerard announced, his vision going dim for a moment as his weakened body almost gave out on him the second he stopped moving. Someone's hand caught his shoulder as he stumbled, whether it was Brendon's or Ryan's, he couldn't tell, but he leaned into the pressure gratefully, letting his legs fold underneath him when he felt the cushions of the couch brushing the back of his thighs.

"Gerard - _holy fuck_ , what happened?" Ryan exclaimed, his tone laced with panic as Gerard collapsed against the sofa, clutching Frank to his chest tightly as he did so.

"Blood - I need blood..." Gerard managed to stammer out, his dry throat aching and his head lolling backward as the last of his strength drained out of him now that he had reached a temporary safe haven.

"Shit, okay," Gerard heard Ryan mutter, his retreating footsteps leading Gerard to believe that he had gone to the kitchen to retrieve some of the liquid he so desperately craved.

Gerard must have blacked out momentarily after that, because the next thing he knew, Ryan was holding a cup up to his lips, and Frank was no longer in his lap. Gerard's first instinct was to make sure that his mate was alright, but he couldn't resist the sweet taste of blood that was quickly filling his mouth, so he took the glass from Ryan instead, downing the entire thing in a few gulps, the usually bitter taste to the older blood not bothering him at all in his desperation to receive some nourishment.

"Thank you," Gerard heaved out when he was finished, the relief of finally receiving some blood flooding over him instantly, clearing his head enough for him to search for Frank, who was on the floor with Brendon leaning over him, his forehead furrowed in concern as he examined his wounded leg gingerly.

"What the hell happened to him?" Brendon growled, his eyes flashing dangerously as he shot a scathing look in Gerard's direction, and it was only then that it occurred to him that Brendon believed that he had been the one to hurt Frank, which was the farthest thing from the truth.

"I - it wasn't me," Gerard stammered out, trying to decide where to start this convoluted story that would take longer to explain than he wanted it to. "I should have told you this sooner, but Lindsey found out about Frank, she knows we are mated, and she warned me to stay away from him. I did for as long as I could, but after Mikey's ceremony, I asked her if I could see him, and that must have set her off, because she went to his home this evening. I followed her, my dream - it was like my dream. She tried to drain me of blood, but I managed to wake up. I went to find Frank, but she had already set his house on fire and broken his leg...I barely managed to get him out, and I didn't know where to go, so I brought him here."

Gerard snapped his jaw shut when he realized he was rambling and most likely making very little sense. He wasn't even sure if Brendon and Ryan were aware of his nightmares, he couldn't remember telling them about them before, and he didn't have time to delve into all the nuisances of his tale, not when Frank was bleeding and in pain.

"Lindsey? She - she did this to Frank?" Ryan gasped quietly, a look of disbelief crossing over his face as Gerard clumsily made his way to Frank's side, tugging the blanket that had been sitting next to him down as well in the hopes that he could use it as a tourniquet or something.

"I can believe it, I don't want to, but I do," Brendon murmured. "She hasn't been the same since our coven was destroyed, and she's always sneaking out behind Bert's back - _still_ , this is fucked up, even for her."

"She's the one who has been killing people in town," Gerard added on, his fingers shaking as he tore the blankets into strips, only for Ryan to bat his hand away, telling him he had proper bandages in the other room. "She told me before she bit me, I don't think she meant for me to survive."

" _Fuck_ \- we have to get you out of here then, she could come back at any minute," Brendon pointed out, although Gerard barely heard him since Frank groaned just then, his features scrunching up momentarily before they smoothed back out.

"I know, and I will. I just had to get blood first, I wouldn't have been able to control myself if I ran into a human."

"I'm shocked that you made it this far," Brendon hummed as Ryan hurried over with a roll of bandages and what looked to be a basin of water, which Gerard took from him, dipping the cloth Ryan had provided him with into the bowl so he could begin cleaning Frank's bloody leg. "How did you stop yourself from drinking from Frank?"

"He's my mate," Gerard shrugged, most of his attention focused on the aforementioned man who seemed to be slightly more coherent than before, although not yet entirely conscious. "I won't do that to him again, not unless he asks.

"Good," Brendon remarked, admiration coloring his tone a soft golden shade as Ryan knelt down beside them.

"Do you need help patching yourself up?" Ryan offered. "Those burns look bad."

"I'm fine," Gerard promised them, and he was. He could already feel his injuries beginning to mend now that he had blood in his body, and the pain had eased almost entirely by this point. "Do you know where the closest hospital is?" Gerard asked after he had wound a bandage over the top of Frank's thigh, managing to stem most of the blood flow for the time being. "I don't know how to fix this without help, and he's not a vampire, so he can't heal on his own."

"Fuck...I'm not sure," Ryan answered, biting his lip between his teeth as he ran a hand over Frank's head, supposedly checking his temperature. "It's further into town, I can't remember the street name though, but it should be noticeable once you get close."

"Do you think he'll make it that far? Moving him might make him worse, and he already looks pretty bad," Brendon whispered, and Frank whimpered just then as well, leaving Gerard cringing as he took in how pale Frank truly was, the sheen of sweat coating his skin making him look even more sickly.

Gerard had been ignoring the fear clawing at his gut so far which was caused by Frank's condition, because he couldn't let it paralyze him. Frank was severely wounded, but he had to be okay, Gerard refused to let his mind wander down any other path, and he didn't appreciate Brendon for reminding him of how serious this was, bringing back a resurgence of his terror with his question.

"He has to, I won't let him die now," Gerard protested stubbornly, his body hunching downward as if he could protect Frank from Brendon's doubts that way, which was ridiculous really, but Gerard couldn't stop the automatic movement.

"Wait - give him some of your blood," Ryan suggested suddenly, his eyes sparkling as he spoke. "William's book said that humans heal quickly when they ingest vampire blood, so if you let him drink from you, I could set his leg and he would be alright, you wouldn't even need to take him to the hospital at all."

"I...I can't do that," Gerard stuttered brokenly, "if I do, he'll be mated with me, and what if he doesn't want that...I mean, he said he loves me, but that's a huge commitment, and I don't want to make that decision for him."

"Well he might die if you don't," Brendon snapped back, his harsh tone startling Gerard so much that he jumped slightly, which caused him to nudge Frank who shifted restlessly, a quiet groan leaving his lips as Gerard touched his side gently.

And _really_ , Gerard could see Brendon's point, Frank was badly hurt, but he was sure he had enough time to get him to the hospital if he left now, which is what he should be doing. He didn't want to force Frank to bond with him, that wasn't something that should be taken lightly, and he wouldn't do that to him without first explaining everything that it entailed.

Before Gerard could reply though, a faint scream floated in through the nearby window, followed by soft pops that sounded suspiciously like gunshots. Gerard flinched again at the noise, his grip on Frank tightening instinctually as Brendon hurried to the doorway, peeking his head out nervously when the clamor began to get louder by the second.

"What's going on?" Ryan asked fearfully, his gaze darting between Frank and Brendon who hadn't moved from his post yet.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Stay here baby, I'll be right back," Brendon assured his mate before he disappeared outside, closing the door firmly behind him, leaving Gerard and Ryan alone with Frank who was twisting fitfully again.

"It'll be okay Ryan, I'm sure it's nothing," Gerard tried to calm Ryan who was chewing on his lip nervously with his lie, his eyes still locked on where Brendon had been standing although he was long gone by now.

And honestly, Gerard had no idea what was happening, but it couldn't be good. Maybe it was Lindsey coming back and creating an uproar, or possibly something even worse, but right now, Frank was still the most important thing to Gerard, and he had to get him out of here before it was too late.

Gerard picked Frank up again, causing the man to cry out at the sudden movement. Gerard winced at this mate's pain, which he was now beginning to feel again through the bond they shared, meaning that Frank was most likely waking up.

"I think Brendon's right," Ryan cut in when Gerard attempted to stand as gingerly as he could, "Frank loves you, and if you give him your blood, he won't be in nearly as much pain. If Lindsey finds out that either of you survived, she will probably go after him again, and if she's causing this disturbance, you might not make it out at all with him in this state."

"I won't let her, I'll protect him this time, and I won't be coming back here after this," Gerard protested hotly, because he didn't understand how his friends weren't understanding what a breach of trust this was. "I already bit Frank once without his permission, and if our bond is completed one day, I want Frank to know. He will have to tell me that it's okay - otherwise..."

"Gerard," a voice interrupted Gerard mid-sentence, but it wasn't Ryan this time, it was _Frank_ speaking, and when Gerard looked down, his mate was peering up at him blearily, his eyes clouded with hurt and fatigue, but he was okay - at least for now.

"Frank, sugar - _fuck_..." Gerard sighed in relief, although he knew they weren't safe yet, but just hearing Frank's voice was a balm to his frayed nerves. "You are going to be okay, I'm taking you to get help right now," Gerard murmured when a spike of pain flared through his mind, although he knew his words would do little to lessen the agony Frank was in.

"I - Gerard," Frank spoke again, his fingers digging into Gerard's arm so tightly it almost hurt. "It's okay...you can give me your blood. I heard you talking, and I want it - want _you_. I love you so much, I promise, and I don't want you to leave me ever again."

"Frank, you don't understand, this will tie you to me forever. It's not like marriage, you will feel my emotions like I do for you, you won't want to be away from me, it - it's just a lot, it's heavy," Gerard stammered, because he knew Frank wasn't in a coherent state of mind, and he couldn't have him making a hasty decision that he would come to regret later on.

"I know, and I want that. I've been going crazy without you, and when I thought you were dead...it was like my life was over too. I may not know everything about this, but I would ask you to bond with me even if I wasn't hurt, I promise."

"Yeah - you sure baby?" Gerard asked breathlessly, the sincerity he could discern through their connection proving that Frank wasn't delusional or spouting reassurances just to please Gerard. His fangs began extending slightly when he realized that Frank was being truthful, because he wanted this too, _of course_ he did. Being joined with Frank in every way was a dream come true, and now that he had his verbal permission, all of his previous reluctance had dissipated like smoke in a harsh wind.

"I want to be yours," Frank whispered, his gaze locking with Gerard's fiercely, and in that moment, Gerard didn't think he had ever loved Frank more, and he wanted to be his as well.

"Okay, _fuck_ \- I love you," Gerard grinned dopily, his mind erased of anything that didn't involve Frank, including Brendon's absence and Ryan's silent presence.

"I love you too, but can you please hurry up, my leg feels like it's about to fucking fall off," Frank hissed when Gerard set him down again gently, but apparently not gently enough.

"Don't worry sugar, this will help," Gerard promised, biting into his wrist after searching Frank's face for any sign of fear, but he saw only adoration mixed with pain, and hopefully the latter of those would be erased soon. "Ryan is going to have to set your leg though, he'll do it while you're drinking so it'll hurt less, but just focus on me okay, it'll be over soon." Gerard made eye contact with Ryan, who nodded to show he understood as he moved into a better position to do what he needed to.

"I can't be in any more pain than I am right now," Frank chuckled weakly, his fingers wrapping around Gerard's wrist when he didn't immediately move it toward Frank's mouth. "Don't worry Gerard," Frank murmured when Gerard tensed without meaning to, "I really do want this, I've been thinking about it for a while, and after today, I am one hundred percent certain that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you," Gerard repeated as Frank brought his bleeding wound to his lips, his eyes slipping closed as his tongue darted out, lapping at the blood nervously before he began to suck at the bite in earnest, his features going lax as the healing effects of Gerard's blood began to take effect.

Frank screamed suddenly as Ryan snapped his leg back into place, his spine arching upward as Ryan muttered apologies under his breath. Gerard bit into his skin again, increasing the blood flow so Frank would be able to intake more, ignoring the tears that were gathering at the corner of his eyes as he cradled Frank's head in his lap, placing his arm back in easy reach.

Frank continued to wince as Ryan bandaged his wound, which now no longer had a bone protruding out of it. Ryan was wrapping it tightly in bandages, bracing it with something that Gerard hadn't seen him procure, but Frank seemed to be relaxing already, so whatever Ryan was doing was working.

Frank pulled away suddenly with a sharp gasp, which Gerard assumed was caused by another surge of pain, but when Frank gazed up at him with blown out pupils, he realized it was, in fact, the exact opposite.

" _Holy shit_ \- Gerard, I can feel you in my head," Frank grinned, "I can't believe this, I can tell how much you love me, it's like bubbles of warmth filling me up - I - this is amazing."

"I know, it's wonderful isn't it, and I really do love you with all of my heart," Gerard smiled back, Frank's reaction to their newly completed bond bringing him the first rush of pure joy he had experienced in far too long. "How is your pain?"

"Hmm?" Frank hummed distractedly, his eyes closing again as he sagged into Gerard's chest gratefully, and Gerard didn't bother asking again. He could still sense some discomfort in the bundle of nerves in his head that belonged to Frank, but it wasn't anything unmanageable, and even his skin pallor and breathing patterns were returning to normal now, assuring Gerard that his blood was truly the best remedy for whatever ailed Frank.

But just as Gerard was beginning to relax, shooting Ryan a grateful smile as Frank snuggled into him happily, Brendon burst back into the room with a fearful expression on his face as he barreled toward them quickly.

"Hunters are here, they've found us. We need to go - _now_."


	40. We've Got To Get Away

"Hunters," Ryan stammered fearfully, "as in vampire hunters?"

"Well they aren't here looking for deer, that's for sure," Brendon snapped, his eyes darting around rapidly as he tugged at his hair in an agitated manner. "I have no idea how they got in, but they have, which means we need to leave."

"Gerard?" Frank whimpered quietly, his body curling tightly in Gerard's hold as Brendon began rushing around the house, throwing random items into a bag as he continuously told them all to hurry.

"It'll be okay sugar," Gerard muttered quietly, his own mind churning rapidly as he tried to process this new danger and what it meant for him and his mate. "Can you do something for me though?" Gerard asked, waiting for Frank's nod of affirmation before he continued speaking. "I have to go grab a few things from my house before I go, so I need you to stay here while I do that, I won't be long."

"Promise?" Frank queried, the fear of being left on his own resonating throughout their bond, and if this hadn't been so important, Gerard would never have even considered leaving Frank's side, but the coven was comprised now, and Gerard knew this was his last chance to recover any of his belongings.

"I swear, you won't even have time to miss me, and Ryan will watch over you okay?"

"Where are you going?" Ryan cut in, his frame shaking slightly as Brendon continued his haphazard packing.

"To my place," Gerard reiterated, "I'll be quick," he added on when it appeared Ryan was about to argue with him, trying his best to convey with his expression that he had to do this.

"Okay, hurry back, and be safe," Ryan finally nodded stiffly as he crouched down beside Frank, gently removing him from Gerard's lap, which Frank allowed reluctantly.

"I love you," Frank called out just when Gerard was opening the door, and the overwhelming rush of emotions Gerard felt coming from his mate almost brought him to his knees with their intensity. He could sense Frank's nervousness, and his adoration, and so many other subtle nuances that he didn't have time to label.

The fact that Frank now shared this bond with him hit Gerard all over again as he repeated Frank's sentiment back to him as he turned the knob, forcing his limbs to move in the direction of his home before he rushed back to Frank's side like he so desperately ached to.

He had to do this first though, and he needed to be fast, and silent. His house wasn't too far from Brendon and Ryan's, but it was closer to the center of town, and with each step he took, the sound of gunshots and screams grew louder, leaving Gerard flinching with each repetition, his gaze scanning the area constantly just in case a hunter was nearby.

And _really_ , Gerard knew he was being a bit ridiculous, and risking both his life and Frank's for a material possession was stupid at best, but he had to take Mikey's letter with him, he wouldn't leave it behind for the hunters to burn or destroy. It was the only physical link he had to his brother, and Gerard couldn't bear to lose that.

Luckily, he made it to his place without catching anyone's attention. Most of the fighting seemed to be happening closer to the main gates judging by the noise, which left Gerard free to retrieve Mikey's note, as well as a few bags of blood and a change of clothes.

Gerard sprinted back the way he had come once he was finished packing, the gunfire and shouts drowning out his footsteps as he went, the terrifying cacophony tempting Gerard to cover his ears, although he knew that wouldn't erase the horrors occurring around him.

But when Gerard reentered Brendon and Ryan's home to see Frank beaming up at him with a relieved smile, Gerard forgot about his fear, and the deaths that were occurring a few hundred feet away, because Frank was alive, and they were going to escape, and as selfish as it sounded, that was all Gerard really cared about right now.

"You ready?" Brendon's voice snapped Gerard out of his Frank focused daze, to which Gerard nodded briskly, making sure his bag was secure against his back before he knelt down next to his mate, lifting him into his arms gently, a grin stretching at his lips when Frank snuggled against his chest instantly, his eyes slipping closed almost immediately despite the anxious energy Gerard could sense pouring off of his mate.

Gerard could feel Frank's exhaustion as well as his unease, but the former was winning out. His body needed rest after everything it had been put through tonight, and Gerard was grateful that Frank was a bit out of it so he didn't have to deal with reality just yet.

"Do we have a plan, or are we just running for it?" Gerard asked as Brendon tied his own pack securely. They were close to the back gate, so they should have no problem leaving the coven unharmed, it was what they did afterward that Gerard was a bit unsure of, but he did know that he needed to get Frank as far away from the hunters and Lindsey as possible.

" _Oh_ \- wait a second," Ryan exclaimed, his statement hanging in the air as he clattered down the stairs leading to the basement, ignoring Brendon's sigh of frustration as he went.

Ryan returned not even a minute later, holding the book which Gerard had recently returned to them written by William, and before Gerard could question Ryan about why he wanted to bring that, Ryan was answering his unspoken thought.

"I've been reading over this again since we found out you mated with Frank, and I think William left clues on how to find his coven. They aren't exact instructions, but I'm almost positive that I can find them, and we would surely be safe there." Ryan broke off with a soft sniffle, his eyes glazing over slightly as he turned to Brendon slowly. "Are you sure we have to go...this is my home, I've never been anywhere else."

"Baby," Brendon groaned, his features softening even though his desire to get away was still prominent, "I'm so sorry this has happened, but it's too late to save this place. The hunters know where it is now, and even if we manage to drive them back, they'll never stop until we are all dead."

"I know, I'm sorry, I _just_...I never thought I would have to leave here," Ryan whispered quietly before he visibly steeled himself, "but I'm fine, let's go."

Gerard wanted to say something else to comfort Ryan, because now that he had managed to tear his eyes away from Frank, it was obvious that Ryan was upset, which he had every right to be.

This coven wasn't Gerard's home, and in many ways, he was glad to leave it behind, but Ryan had grown up here, his parents might even be out there right now fighting for their lives. Gerard had never asked since he'd been too wrapped up in his own problems, but now wasn't the time either, so Gerard simply nudged Ryan gently as he walked past him with William's book held tightly against his chest like it was a shield.

Brendon hurried ahead so he could be first, looking both ways before motioning for Gerard and Ryan to follow behind him. Gerard held his breath as they went, keeping a tight grip on Frank as they made their way toward the back gate which was already visible in the distance.

But just when Gerard was beginning to relax as much as he could under the circumstances, a high pitched cry pierced the air, followed by the sound of pounding feet that were much too heavy to be made by a vampire.

Gerard quickened his pace as much as he could without hurting Frank, his muscles tensing in preparation for a fight even though he couldn't yet see who was approaching.

"Brendon - what are you doing?" Ryan yelled suddenly, pausing Gerard's forward motion as he craned his neck around to try and ascertain what was happening.

"Keep going Ryan," Brendon shouted tersely as he twisted around to face them. He had stopped in his tracks a few feet back, which had caused Ryan to do the same thing as well. "I'm just going to hold off whoever is coming, I'll follow you when it's safe. Wait for me at the edge of the woods."

" _No_ \- fuck that, I'm not leaving you," Ryan protested stubbornly, but Brendon ignored him, turning his attention to Gerard instead.

"Please Gerard, take him with you, I'll be fine, I won't do anything stupid, but you have to make sure that Ryan is safe."

And although Gerard was conflicted, and a part of him wanted to try and talk Brendon out of this heroic act, it really was the best thing for everyone. If the hunters discovered the back gate, they would realize that some vampires had managed to escape, and they would track them down just like they had done two hundred years ago.

Gerard didn't want to abandon Brendon, but he would be no help if they stayed; Ryan was on the verge of a breakdown and he was hampered by Frank, so the best thing they could do for Brendon was to remove the distraction that they provided.

"Ryan, come on, we have to go," Gerard murmured in what he hoped was a soothing tone as he inched closer to the frozen vampire.

"No!" Ryan screeched when Gerard placed a hand on his shoulder, his eyes going wide and glossy as he shook Gerard off roughly. "Brendon please, we'll be fine, just come with us."

"Ryan...I have to do this," Brendon sighed, letting Gerard take hold of Ryan again since he was too busy listening to his mate to slip away, "I ran away during the last raid, I left everyone to make sure Pete was safe, but if I can help this time, I have to. Let me have this."

"Fuck you," Ryan choked out, a few tears slipping down his flushed cheeks as he spun on his heels hotly. Gerard didn't exactly understand what Brendon was referring to, but he did know that his old coven had been attacked by hunters as well, so he assumed it had something to do with that day. "You have fifteen minutes, if you aren't out by then, I'm coming back for you."

"I will be," Brendon promised in a clipped tone, "but go, now. I love you."

"I love you too," Ryan whimpered quietly, his head shaking from side to side as he took off suddenly in such a rapid sprint that Gerard was unable to match his pace while holding Frank, and he was also hampered by his constant desire to glance back over his shoulder to make sure Brendon was alright, but eventually, he caught up with Ryan at the back gate, letting Ryan hold the metal structure open for him so he could slip out without having to set Frank down.

Ryan bolted for the woods as soon as he had closed the gate behind them, leaving Gerard to follow as best as he was able, his exhaustion from earlier returning even after his feeding, but he couldn't rest yet, not until Frank was safe, if anywhere in the world could be considered as such now that the hunters had found them once again.

Gerard didn't try to speak to Ryan as they went, he knew it wouldn't help, but hopefully Brendon would return soon. Gerard couldn't imagine how Ryan was feeling, he knew he would be inconsolable if Frank had been the one to say behind, but Brendon was strong and smart, he would distract or incapacitate their pursuer then get out of there as soon as he could.

Ryan started to falter as the trees grew thicker around them, the soft sound of his barely concealed sniffles filling the air as he began to wipe at his eyes angrily. Gerard had no idea where they were now, but they had put quite a bit of distance between themselves and the coven, so he assumed it would be safe to take a bit of a break.

"Ryan, we can stop and wait for him if you want," Gerard suggested, his own aching arms twinging in pain as if to give their opinion on the matter as well.

Ryan hummed noncommittally in reply, but he did slump down against a nearby trunk, his head falling backward as he stared up at the sky dully, his lids blinking rapidly in an attempt to hold back the tears that were visibly glistening in his eyes.

"Brendon will be fine Ryan," Gerard whispered, even if he was aware that his words meant nothing to the other vampire.

"He has ten minutes before I'm dragging him out of there," Ryan muttered under his breath, his arms folding tightly against his chest in a manner that let Gerard know he wanted to be left alone the time being.

Gerard shuffled a few feet away, close enough that he could be by Ryan's side in an instant if needed, but it gave the other vampire the illusion of privacy. Gerard returned his attention to Frank then, running his fingers through his hair which was still slightly damp with sweat.

Gerard's heart ached for Ryan, but as he gazed down at his mate, a sudden swelling of guilt rose in his chest when he realized that he had literally ripped Frank away from everything he knew and loved, just like Ryan had been, and this was all because he had mated with a human.

Gerard couldn't take it back though - he _wouldn't_ actually, even if he had a choice. Meeting Frank had been the best thing to ever happen to him, and even with all the suffering that had followed, Gerard was unable to regret the night he had stumbled upon Frank's clinic, even if he wished things had happened a bit differently for everyone involved.

He hated that those steps had torn his brother and his best friend away from him too soon, he missed them both so much, but if they had never come here, Gerard would have continued to be unaware of Frank's existence. It was a horrible price to pay of course, and if there had been any way Gerard could have saved Mikey and Ray from their fates, he would have, but the past couldn't be changed, only remembered.

Would Frank feel the same sense of sorrow as Gerard did when he thought about everything he had gone through? He hadn't lost a family member, but his livelihood was gone, his routine as he knew it had been destroyed because of Gerard's role in his life, and as accepting as Frank had been so far, Gerard was anxious that Frank would one day look back and wish he had never met him.

"I'm so sorry I ruined your life," Gerard spoke more to himself than to Frank who still seemed to be asleep, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but I'll protect you always, I promise."

"You didn't ruin anything," Frank mumbled groggily, his eyes opening for a brief moment before he burrowed closer to Gerard again. "Lindsey did, she was the one who burned down my home, but that just leaves me free to start over with you," Frank assured Gerard, and judging by their bond, he meant every word of it. "We will figure this out okay? I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to my mom, but it's going to be fine in the end, I have faith in us."

"You literally almost died tonight, and the thing you're most worried about is telling your mom?" Gerard chuckled lightly, the sound feeling foreign after he had gone so long without any reason to laugh.

"Oh god yes, she can be terrifying, she doesn't even really think I'm gay half of the time, so I can't wait to tell her I've got a new vampire boyfriend and I'm running away to live with him for the rest of forever, I'm sure that'll go over well."

"Maybe leave out the vampire part," Gerard grinned cheekily, his heart bursting with adoration for the man in his arms who was managing to soothe all of his worries with nothing more than a few sentences, making their situation seem not so bad after all.

"Yeah, I probably will, though I don't know what I'm going to do when she wants to meet you," Frank groaned.

"We can set up a dinner date, make sure it's dark," Gerard pointed out, the domestic idea calming his racing heart and his concerns over Brendon almost as much as Frank's smile was.

"Smart and pretty, I really hit the jackpot with you," Frank giggled tiredly, his eyes slipping shut again for a moment as Gerard continued to pet through his hair gently.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Gerard asked, even though he could tell from their bond that Frank's pain was minimal, but he still wanted to hear it from Frank himself.

"Mhmm, just tired," Frank nodded, but just as he was about to say more, Ryan stood bolt upright, his eyes scanning the area frantically, and only moments later, Brendon appeared.

He looked a bit worse for wear than when he had left them, his hair was disheveled and there was a smattering of blood on his left arm, but Gerard couldn't get that good of a glimpse of the other vampire before Ryan was wrapping himself around him, holding his mate tightly as Brendon clung to him with just as much force.

Gerard didn't move from where he was, instead, he used his senses to make sure that no one else was in the nearby vicinity. He could faintly feel the presence of a few vampires fleeing away from them, but it appeared that they were otherwise alone, and it was only then that Gerard allowed himself to join Ryan at Brendon's side, keeping Frank pressed firmly against his chest.

"What happened, are you hurt?" Ryan was questioning his mate when Gerard reached them, his fingers dancing frantically over the dark stain on Brendon's shirt, but he didn't appear to have a visible wound on him.

"It's not mine, I'm fine," Brendon soothed Ryan, grabbing his roving hands and holding them in a gentle grip. "It was a hunter's, that is who we heard approaching us. He was chasing Hayley, she was trying to reach the back gate too, but he was following her. I killed him before he could shoot her and she got out okay. I tried to go back and gather the others, but it's too late. I managed to save a few, but so many people are dead...Bert and Jeph have a small force going that's holding their own, but they won't last much longer, not against that many hunters. I saw Lindsey and Quinn's bodies, _fuck_ \- so many have already fallen. I was tempted to help, but it was pointless, I had to leave...I didn't want to, but it's a lost cause."

"It's okay love, you did the right thing, and I'm so sorry you had to go through that again," Ryan whispered, "but we're safe - _god_ , I'm so glad you came back."

"We are, we made it," Brendon agreed wearily. "I don't know where the others are headed, I think about ten people followed me out in all, but I didn't want to lead them here in case they smelled Frank."

"Thank you," Frank mumbled quietly, a slight grimace crossing over his face as he tried to shift his position which ended up jostling his bad leg, "and not just for this, but for everything really. I know you've been helping Gerard out a lot, and that means the world to me. I'm sorry this all happened and you've lost your home, and I hate that I might have had a small part in that, but you still treat me like family, and I can't say how much I appreciate that."

"You are one of us now Frank, you're Gerard's mate, so no matter what species you are, you will always be welcome with us," Brendon smiled. "Not that we have a place to stay, but hopefully we will find that soon as well."

Gerard leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Frank's forehead, silently conveying everything that he no longer needed to say aloud since Frank could feel his emotions, including how he agreed with everything Brendon had said and more, and how much he loved him, and how Gerard would relive each terrifying event he had been placed in lately and more all over again as long as Frank would be there for him at the end of it.

And in that moment, Gerard knew that he was going to be okay - they all were, whether they found William's coven or not. He had lost so much, but he had gained a mate as well as two amazing friends. He had faith that they would find a haven in this world filled with pain and despair, and hopefully they would make their own happiness along the way to counteract all the horrors they had experienced together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it - Pyre is officially over.
> 
> I realize that I could expand on this universe a bit more, but honestly, this story is done. Frank and Gerard are together, they are happy, and they'll continue to be that way, the rest of what happens to them I will leave up to your imaginations.
> 
> Well apparently I wasn't entirely truthful when I said that since so many people asked for an epilogue that I got inspired to write a short one which should be up very soon. 
> 
> I have been writing this for so long, and it has been a struggle at times, but I just want to thank everyone who has read this for helping me push through and finish this, because there were plenty of times I didn't think I was going to be able to.
> 
> This story was a learning experience for me, and although it is far from perfect, I am proud of it. It was a first for me in so many ways and I appreciate everyone that has taken the time out of their day to read it.
> 
> So this is my final farewell on this story. I hope to see you all in my other books but if not thank you for being here.
> 
> Lots of love to you all xx


	41. The End...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never planned to write this but after receiving numerous requests here is a short epilogue for you all.
> 
> Enjoy xx

Gerard was awoken by the sound of his mate's quiet voice, as well as the lack of his warmth against his side, the latter of which left him a bit disgruntled since one of his favorite things about being mated to Frank was waking up next to him every evening.

Gerard opened his eyes blearily when Frank's tone became slightly louder, a soft smile tugging at his lips when he spied Frank in the armchair on the other side of the room, his legs tucked up underneath him and his phone pressed against his ear.

Gerard didn't mean to eavesdrop on Frank's conversation - which was apparently with his mother, but it was hard not too with his keen hearing, and he knew Frank didn't mind at all.

So Gerard listened as Frank caught up with her, his eyes wandering across his mate's tattooed skin which was currently on full display. They had fallen asleep naked this morning, and it seemed that Frank hadn't bothered to get dressed to answer the phone, not that Gerard was complaining.

Sometimes Gerard still couldn't believe that this was his life, that Frank was his mate. It had been two years since their bond had been formed, but Gerard didn't think he'd ever get used to having this gorgeous man as his other half, it felt like a dream most days.

And to add to the fantasy-like quality of Gerard's current existence, they had finally found William's coven after months of wandering. William had welcomed them with open arms, and now Gerard truly had a home, but what made it even better was sharing it with the love of his life.

The coven itself was the haven that Gerard had always hoped to find. There were no rules here, William disliked referring to himself as a leader, and he didn't attempt to regulate the vampires who lived with him. The community he had created was peaceful, and if someone wanted to leave, they could at any time, but very few people did.

In fact, many vampires had been flocking here as of late. Most of the surviving covens were either being found by hunters or disintegrating under poor leadership. Apparently more vampire/human pairings had been occurring as well, and William now sent out scouts to assist the couples in locating them before they were discovered and killed.

Gerard adored living here, he felt like he was a part of something good for once, and he made sure to help out as often as he could. Everyone played a role in the coven, and together they all meshed in a harmonic manner that Gerard was proud to say he contributed to.

Overall, Gerard was happy - _truly_ happy. He still missed Mikey and Ray of course, and not everything was perfect, but it was as close to it as things could get, and Gerard could now honestly claim that he was content.

Gerard shifted over slightly when Frank ended his call and headed in his direction, making more room for him on the mattress which Frank took as an invitation to lie back down, which is exactly what Gerard wanted him to do.

"How's your mom doing sugar?" Gerard asked when Frank didn't immediately speak, his nostrils flaring slightly as he inhaled Frank's intoxicating scent, letting it seep into his nose until his brain felt as if it were swimming in the wonderful aroma.

"She's being her usual self, wants us to visit again already," Frank groaned, and Gerard copied his actions.

He had met Frank's mother once a few months ago, and that had been an interesting experience. She was a kind woman, but she didn't have much of a filter, and she made her opinions on Frank's choices very well known, not that Gerard could blame her for being a bit upset.

They hadn't told her that Gerard was a vampire of course, or that Frank was living in a coven full of other vampires at the moment. Gerard had simply been introduced as Frank's boyfriend, and Frank claimed they were traveling the world together now that his clinic had burned down and he had the chance to do so.

Frank's mother wasn't happy with that, she had demanded that Frank move to Florida with her and his father and start up a new practice. The topic seemed to be brought up every time they spoke, and Gerard knew it frustrated Frank, but it wasn't as if they could tell her the truth.

"Well maybe we can make a trip down there later next month, winter is coming on again so I won't have to worry about the sun as much," Gerard suggested.

"I'll think about it later," Frank decided, "right now let's just focus on today."

"Do we have any plans?" Gerard grinned when Frank began nuzzling into his neck, his teeth nipping lightly at his exposed skin in a playful manner that left Gerard shivering slightly.

"Well, we could visit Brendon and Ryan, see what they're up to," Frank hummed in a teasing fashion, which led Gerard to believe that he wasn't actually all that intent on stopping by at their friends place just yet, "and I think William and Gabe wanted some help building homes for the new arrivals," Frank mentioned, "but I'm sure they've already found loads of volunteers."

"Most likely," Gerard nodded, a small gasp leaving his mouth when Frank trailed his mouth lower, causing hot puffs of air to hit his sensitive nipples.

"So I was thinking we could have a bit of a lie in for once, then maybe we could check up on the construction and see if they need any extra hands later on."

"Sounds wonderful," Gerard exhaled shakily as Frank attempted to leave a bruise on his collarbone, his eyes fluttering shut in pure bliss as he let his mate continue to explore his body with his tongue and teeth.

And when Frank finally connected their mouths together in a tender kiss, Gerard was once again reminded of how good he had things. His mate was alive and well, and they were safe, and happy, which was not the ending Gerard had ever thought he would receive, but he was so fucking glad that he had.


End file.
